Link House

Updated 5 June 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: This consisted of one inspector.

Service and service type: Link House is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as single package under one contractual agreement. The Care Quality Commission (CQC) regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

The service had a manager registered with CQC. 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: We gave the registered manager short notice of one day of the inspection. This was because the service was very small, and we wanted to make sure people who lived there, and the staff were available to speak to us.

What we did: Before the inspection, we looked at information we held about the service. The provider sent us 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 reviewed the information we held about the service, such as notifications we had received from the registered manager. A notification is information about important events, which the service is required to send us by law.

During inspection: We spoke with two people who used the service. We observed how staff interacted with people. We spoke with the registered manager, two team leaders and two care assistants. We looked at the care records for three people who used the service and medication administration records for all six people. We looked at a range of documentation used for the management of the service such as staff rotas, training and supervision, quality audits, cleaning schedules, records of meetings and maintenance of equipment. We completed a check of the environment.

After the site visit we spoke with two relatives of people who used the service and received information from two advocates, one health care professional and two social care professionals.

Updated 5 June 2019

About the service: Link House is a residential care home. At the time of the inspection, it was providing personal care and support to six young people with learning disabilities. 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.

People’s experience of using this service: People lived in a safe environment. Staff knew how to protect people from abuse and harm; risk assessments were completed, which helped staff minimise risk whilst ensuring this was not overly restrictive. Staff were recruited safely and there was enough staff deployed to meet people’s needs. Staff managed medicines well to make sure people received them as prescribed.

People’s health and nutritional needs were met. Staff supported people to access health professionals when required. The menus offered people choices and alternatives. Staff received training and supervision, which provided them with the skills and knowledge to support people safely and effectively.

The staff approach was kind and caring. They respected people’s privacy and dignity and supported them to be as independent as possible. Care was planned and delivered in an individual way in line with people’s preferences. The end of life care for people was delivered in a kind and compassionate way, which responded to their needs and the needs of relatives and friends.

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 practice.

There was a quality monitoring system which consisted of audits, meetings and questionnaires to make sure people’s views were obtained and action could be taken when shortfalls were identified. People felt able to raise concerns or make a complaint. Information about how to complain was in an accessible format.

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

Rating at last inspection: Good (the last report was published on 14 October 2016).

Why we inspected: This was a planned inspection based on previous rating.

Follow up: We will continue to monitor intelligence we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If any concerning information is received, we may inspect sooner.