Archived: Clarence Gardens

Clarence Gardens is a respite service providing short breaks for up to four people between the ages of 18 and 65 years old. The service provides care and support for people with learning disabilities and complex health care needs. The accommodation is on one level with wheelchair access throughout the building. All bedrooms have en-suite facilities. There is a lounge, dining room, games room and kitchen.

People who stay at the service have learning disabilities and this meant while some people were able to tell us their views of the home, others were unable to communicate this verbally. We met with people who were currently staying at the service and people who had stayed at the service and came in to visit while we were there.

There was a registered manager who had been in post since 2011. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) to manage the service and shares the legal responsibility for meeting the requirements of the law with the provider.

People told us they enjoyed coming for a break and felt safe when they were there. The service worked hard to make sure when people came to stay there were with other people who they would get on with. We found people’s independence and freedom was encouraged and at the same time any risks were discussed and managed safely.

People were kept safe as staff knew the signs to look for which may indicate abuse was happening. This was particularly important for people who were not able to communicate verbally. Staff knew how to report any concerns and our discussions with them showed they would not tolerate poor practice. The service had had one safeguarding incident which occurred last year. This had been fully investigated and recorded and reported to the correct authorities.

Staff had received training in the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS). There were no DoLS currently in place, however the registered manager knew the correct procedures to follow to ensure people’s rights were protected.

People received their medicines as prescribed and there were safe systems in place to manage medicines safely. Staff had received medicines training.

People were involved in decisions about their care and support. There were detailed communication plans for people who could not verbalise their needs. Care and support was tailored to meet individual needs and staff knew people well. They provided people with opportunities to participate in events and activities they may not previously have been able to do. People told us they enjoyed their breaks at the service and relatives said their family members always seemed happy after they had stayed there.

The building was specifically designed to meet the needs of the people who used the service. People were involved in decisions about the environment and were currently choosing the new colour scheme.

Staff had good relationships with the people who stayed at the service and the atmosphere was happy and relaxed. We saw staff were kind and caring in their interactions with people. Staff treated people with dignity and respect and maintained their privacy. They had a good understanding of equality and diversity.

Effective systems were in place which ensured people’s care and support transferred smoothly when they came to stay at the service. This meant people received consistent care which was well co-ordinated between the different agencies.

A wide range of activities were provided both in house and in the community. People were involved and consulted about all aspects of the service including what improvements they would like to see and suggestions for activities. Staff told us people were encouraged to make friendships and relationships during their stays.

There were good systems in place to respond to people complaints and we saw these had been followed. People felt they could raise complaints and were confident they would be dealt with.

Leadership in the home was good and promoted a positive and open culture. Relatives said the service was well run and they felt their views were listened to.

Staff understood the values and ethos of the service. They knew what was expected of them and understood their role in ensuring people received the care and support they required.

There were effective systems to monitor and review safeguarding concerns, accidents, incidents and complaints. Investigations were thorough and action plans were in place to address any shortfalls. Staff meetings and supervisions were held regularly which provided an opportunity for staff to discuss any issues as well as identifying any training needs.

Staffing levels were kept under review and adjusted according to the dependency levels of people who were staying at the service.

We saw the service actively sought the views of people and looked at creative ways in which they could involve people in service improvement plans.