Background to this inspection
Updated
5 January 2018
We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection was planned to check whether the provider is meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.
This comprehensive inspection took place on 22 November 2017 and was unannounced. The inspection was conducted by one inspector.
Before the inspection visit we reviewed the information we held about the home. We looked at the statutory notifications that had been sent to us. A statutory notification is information about important events which the provider is required to send to us by law. We contacted the local authority commissioners to find out their views of the service provided. Commissioners are people who contract care and support services paid for by the local authority. They had no new information to share with us.
The provider had also completed a Provider information return (PIR). This is information we require providers to send us at least once annually to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. This information reflected the service we saw.
During our visit we spoke with five people who lived at the home, two relatives, the registered manager, the deputy manager, the human resources advisor and two care staff.
We reviewed two people’s care records to see how their care and support was planned and delivered. We looked at recruitment records for two staff members and other records related to how the home operated. This included checks the management team took to assure themselves that people received a good quality service.
Following our visit we spoke with one more staff member via the telephone to gather their views.
Updated
5 January 2018
At the last inspection in September 2015, the service was rated 'Good'. At this inspection, the service continued to be Good.
The Maples is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as single package under one contractual agreement. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.
The Maples provides care and accommodation for up to seven people with a diagnosis of a learning disability or autistic spectrum disorder. There were seven people living in the home in the time of our visit.
The care service has been developed and designed in line with the values that underpin the Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. These values include choice, promotion of independence and inclusion. People with learning disabilities and autism using the service can live as ordinary a life as any citizen.
The service is required to have a registered manager in post. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Like registered providers, they are 'registered persons'. Registered persons have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act and associated Regulations about how the service is run. At the time of our visit he registered manager had been in post for over 20 years.
People felt safe living at The Maples and there were enough staff to respond to people's needs in a timely way. Procedures were in place to protect people from harm and staff knew how to manage the risks associated with people's care.
Staff turnover was low and the provider's recruitment procedures minimised, as far as possible, the risks to people’s safety. Staff were confident the training they received gave them the knowledge and skills to meet people's needs effectively.
The majority of staff told us they felt supported by the management team. Staff had opportunities to contribute their ideas to share suggestions and good practice.
The home was clean and well maintained. Regular checks of the building and equipment took place to make sure they were safe to use.
The provider was working within the principles of the Mental Capacity Act (2005). Staff respected the decisions people made.
Staff were friendly and caring and they enjoyed spending their time with the people who lived in the home. Staff were responsive to people’s needs and supported people to make and communicate their choices.
People enjoyed the food and nutritionally balanced meals were available.
People's medicines were stored and administered safely. People received the care and treatment they required from health professionals.
People chose to take part in a variety of social activities which they enjoyed.
People were supported to be independent and staff respected people's right to privacy.
People were happy with how the home was run and they were involved in planning and reviewing their care. They told us they felt listened to and they had opportunities to feedback on their service they received.
People knew how to make a complaint and felt comfortable doing so. Effective systems to monitor and the review the quality of the home were in place.