Archived: Mayday Trust Lennon Court

Updated 21 June 2016

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.

The inspection took place on 16 May 2016 and was announced. We told the registered manager prior to the inspection that we would be coming, so they and the staff were available to speak with us. The inspection was conducted by one inspector.

We reviewed information received about the service, for example the statutory notifications the provider had sent us. A statutory notification is information about important events which the provider is required to send to us by law. Before the inspection the provider completed a Provider Information Return (PIR). This is a form that asks the provider to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We found the PIR reflected the service provided. We also contacted the local authority commissioners to find out their views of the service provided. These are people who contract care and support services paid for by the local authority. They had no concerns about the service.

Before the office visit we sent surveys to people who used the service to obtain their views around the quality of care they received. Surveys were returned from nine members of staff and one community professional who was involved in the care of people who used the service. During our inspection we spoke with the registered manager, the senior personal asset mentor (who worked as a line manager for care staff), and two carers. We also spoke with three people who used the service in their own homes. Following our inspection visit we spoke with two relatives and two health professionals. Health care professionals are people who have expertise in particular areas of health, such as nurses or consultant doctors.

We reviewed four people’s care plans to see how their care and support was planned and delivered. We looked at other records related to people’s care and how the service operated, including medicine records, staff recruitment records, the provider’s quality assurance audits and records of complaints.

Updated 21 June 2016

We visited the offices of Mayday Trust Lennon Court on 16 May 2016. The inspection was announced. This was to ensure the registered manager and staff were available when we visited, to talk with us about the service.

Mayday Trust Lennon Court is a supported housing scheme which provides personal care and support to people in their own homes. At the time of our visit the service supported 25 people. The service was last inspected on 12 November 2013 when we found no breaches of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated Regulations. Before our inspection the provider told us that the service may change in the future, due to recent adjustments in the way the local authority funded care.

The service has a registered manager. 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 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

People told us they felt safe using the service and staff understood how to protect people from abuse. There were processes to minimise risks associated with people’s care to keep them safe. This included the completion of risk assessments and checks on staff to ensure their suitability to work with people who used the service.

There were enough suitably trained staff to deliver care and support to people. Staff received an induction and a programme of training to support them in meeting people’s needs effectively. Staff understood the principles of the Mental Capacity Act (MCA) and staff respected people’s decisions and gained people’s consent before they provided personal care.

People told us staff were kind and caring and had the right skills and experience to provide the care and support they required. Care plans and risk assessments contained relevant information for staff to help them provide the care people required. Staff treated people in a way that respected their dignity and promoted their independence.

People were involved in planning how they were cared for and supported. Care was planned to meet people’s individual needs and preferences and care plans were regularly reviewed.

People knew how to complain and were able to share their views and opinions about the service they received. Staff felt well supported by the registered manager and were confident they could raise any concerns or issues, knowing they would be listened to and acted on. The registered manager valued staff and promoted their development.

There were processes to monitor the quality of the service provided and understand the experiences of people who used the service. This was through regular communication with people and staff, returned surveys, spot checks on staff and a programme of other checks and audits.