Whincup Care Limited

Updated 6 April 2019

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. This inspection was planned to check whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Act, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

Inspection team:

The inspection was carried out by one inspector.

Service and service type:

Whincup Care Limited is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection. Whincup Care Limited accommodates up to six people in one adapted building.

The service has been developed and designed in line with the principles and values that underpin Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. This ensures that people who use the service can live as full a life as possible and achieve the best possible outcomes. The principles reflect the need for people with learning disabilities and/or autism to live meaningful lives that include control, choice, and independence. People using the service receive planned and co-ordinated person-centred support that is appropriate and inclusive for them.

The service had a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. This means that they and the provider are legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided.

Notice of inspection:

The inspection was unannounced on 27 February 2019. We informed the registered manager we would return on 28 February 2019.

What we did:

• Our inspection was informed by evidence we already held about the service. We checked for feedback we received from members of the public, and local authorities. We checked records held by Companies House and the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO).

• Due to technical problems, we did not ask the provider to complete a Provider Information Return. This is information we require providers to send us to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We took this into account when we inspected the service and made the judgements.

• We spoke with four people who use the service and three relatives. We observed staff interactions with people at lunch time and during other activities throughout the inspection visit. We spoke with the registered manager, four care workers, and the director of care. We spoke with one social worker, one commissioner, one district nurse and an external college leader. We received email feedback from the local authority safeguarding team.

• We reviewed parts of five people's care records including care plans, risk assessments and medicines administration records. We checked two staff members’ personnel files and other records about the management of the service. After our inspection, we asked the registered manager to send us further documents which we received promptly and reviewed as part of our inspection.

Updated 6 April 2019

About the service:

Whincup Care Limited provides accommodation and personal care for up to six adults with a learning a disability and adults with autistic spectrum disorders. At the time of our inspection four people used the service and one person was transitioning to a community setting.

People's experience of using this service:

• The provider had made improvements to the service since our last inspection on 9 and 10 January 2018.

• The service now met the characteristics for a rating of "good" in all key questions.

• There were improved systems for the management of medicines.

• Notifiable safety incidents were reported and acted upon by the service.

• People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service supported this. However, mental capacity assessments did not always fully conform with the mental capacity code of practice. The registered manager took immediate action to rectify this during our inspection.

• Staff received appropriate training and support to ensure they could carry out their roles effectively. We have made a recommendation that the service provides data protection training for all staff.

• The outcomes for people using the service reflected the principles and values of Registering the Right Support by the promotion of choice and control, independence and inclusion. People's support focused on them having as many opportunities as possible for them to gain new skills and become more independent.

• Care planning documentation clearly identified people’s diverse needs, preferences and choices.

• The service provided strong leadership to a motivated staff team who felt valued by management.

• The service had quality assurance processes to measure, document, improve and evaluate the quality of care.

• People and relatives told us that staff were kind and respected their preferences and decisions.

Rating at last inspection:

At the last inspection the service was rated “requires improvement” (16 February 2018) and we found breaches of Regulation 11 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014 and Regulation 18 of the Care Quality Commission (Registration) Regulations 2009. Following the last inspection, we asked the provider to complete an action plan to show what they would do and by when to improve the key questions, Safe, Effective and Well-Led to at least “good”. At this inspection we found there were improvements.

Why we inspected:

All services rated "requires improvement" are re-inspected within one year of our published inspection report date. This inspection was part of our scheduled plan of visiting services to check the safety and quality of care people received.

Follow up:

We will continue to monitor the service to ensure that people receive safe, high quality care. Further inspections will be planned for future dates.

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