National Autistic Society - Camden Road

Updated 25 August 2023

The inspection

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (the Act) as part of our regulatory functions. We checked whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Act. We looked at the overall quality of the service and provided a rating for the service under the Health and Social Care Act 2008.

As part of this inspection we looked at the infection control and prevention measures in place. This was conducted so we can understand the preparedness of the service in preventing or managing an infection outbreak, and to identify good practice we can share with other services.

Inspection team

The inspection was carried out by 1 inspector and an Expert by Experience. An Expert by Experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of care service.

Service and service type

National Autistic Society-Camden Road is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing and/or personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement dependent on their registration with us. National Autistic Society- Camden Road is a care home without nursing care. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

Registered Manager

This provider is required to have a registered manager to oversee the delivery of regulated activities at this location. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Registered managers and providers are legally responsible for how the service is run, for the quality and safety of the care provided and compliance with regulations.

At the time of our inspection there was not a registered manager in post. A new (experienced) manager was in post and had submitted an application to register. We are currently assessing this application.

Notice of inspection

We gave the service 24 hours’ notice of the inspection. This was because the service is small and people are often out and we wanted to be sure there would be people at home to speak with us.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We sought feedback from the local authority and professionals who work with the service. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return (PIR). This is information providers are required to send us annually with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. We used all this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with 6 staff members including the manager, deputy manager, team leader and support staff. We observed staff interactions with 3 people who could not verbally communicate with us. We observed their body language during their interactions with care staff to further help us understand their experience of the care they received. We also spoke with two people's relatives.

We reviewed a range of records. This included 2 people's care records and 6 medicines administration records. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, were reviewed. We used the Quality of Life Tool which is designed to support the corroboration of all sources of evidence gathered during inspection.

Updated 25 August 2023

About the service

National Autistic Society – Camden Road provides accommodation, care and support for up to 12 people with a learning disabilities and autistic people. At this inspection they were providing care for 6 people.

We expect health and social care providers to guarantee people with a learning disability and autistic people respect, equality, dignity, choices and independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted. 'Right support, right care, right culture' is the guidance CQC follows to make assessments and judgements about services supporting people with a learning disability and autistic people and providers must have regard to it.

People's experience of using this service and what we found

Right Support:

Since our last inspection, the provider had made a number of improvements to the building and environment. The environment was mostly homely and non-institutional in appearance. However, the provider had identified further changes required to maximise people’s choice control and independence. There were plans in place to replace the fluorescent lighting and replace damaged flooring. The white board in the communal lounge was being removed so this area had a clear purpose for use as a lounge area for people to spend time and relax in. The service was clean and mostly met people’s sensory needs.

People’s own rooms were decorated to suit and meet their individual needs and preferences.

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice. The management team were in the process of re evaluating the use of space such as communal areas to ensure people had more choice and control around where they spent their time.

Right Care :

The service had appropriately skilled and competent staff to meet people's needs and keep them safe. People received care and support that was focused on their quality of life. The staff knew people well and had developed positive relationships. Staff knew and understood people’s communication needs and this supported positive respectful relationships and interactions.

Right Culture:

The provider's quality assurance, governance systems and processes to monitor the quality and safety of the service had improved since our last inspection and areas where improvements were required had been identified with action plans in place. People's wishes and needs were at the centre of everything.

Staff were carefully matched to people’s needs and preferences so that care and support promoted people’s growth, independence and quality of life. People were supported by staff who understood best practice in relation to the wide range of strengths, impairments or sensitivities people with a learning disability and/or autistic people may have.

For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk

Rating at last inspection

The last rating for this service was Requires Improvement (published 24 January 2023)

At this inspection we found improvements had been made and the provider was no longer in breach of regulations.

Why we inspected

This inspection was carried out to follow up on action we told the provider to take at the last inspection. We undertook a focused inspection to review the key questions of safe, effective and well-led only.

The overall rating for the service has changed from requires improvement to good based on the findings of this inspection. For those key questions not inspected, we used the ratings awarded at the last inspection to calculate the overall rating.

We looked at infection prevention and control measures under the Safe key question. We look at this in all care home inspections even if no concerns or risks have been identified. This is to provide assurance that the service can respond to COVID-19 and other infection outbreaks effectively

You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for National Autistic Society – Camden Road on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.