The Leys

Updated 29 March 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 undertaken by one inspector.

Service and service type:

The Leys 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. The service accommodates up to nine people in two adapted buildings.

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:

We gave the service 48 hours’ notice of the inspection site visit because we needed to be sure that someone would be in to assist us with the inspection.

Inspection site visit activity started on 14 March 2019 and ended on 15 March 2019. We visited the service on 14 March 2019 and called people’s relatives on the telephone on 15 March 2019.

What we did:

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. The provider returned the PIR and we took this into account when we made judgements in this report. We reviewed other information that we held about the service such as notifications. These are events that happen in the service that the provider is required to tell us about. We also considered the last inspection report and information that had been sent to us by other agencies. We also contacted commissioners who had a contract with the service.

During the inspection visit, we met with three people who used the service and the following day we spoke with six relatives on the telephone. In addition, we had discussions with four staff members. This included the registered manager, deputy manager and two care and support worker.

We looked at the care and medication records of two people who used the service, we undertook a tour of the premises and observed information on display around the service such as information about safeguarding and how to make a complaint. We also examined records in relation to the management of the service such as staff recruitment files, quality assurance checks, staff training and supervision records, safeguarding information and accidents and incident information.

Updated 29 March 2019

About the service:

The Leys is a registered care home and provides accommodation and support for up to nine people living with a learning disability. There were nine people living at the service when we visited.

The care service had 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 using the service felt safe. Staff had received training to enable them to recognise signs and symptoms of abuse and they felt confident in how to report these types of concerns. People had risk assessments in place to enable them to be as independent as they could be in a safe manner. There were sufficient staff with the correct skill mix on duty to support people with their required needs and keep them safe. Effective and safe recruitment processes were consistently followed by the provider.

¿ Medicines were managed safely. The processes in place ensured that the administration and handling of medicines was suitable for the people who used the service. Effective infection control measures were in place to protect people.

¿ 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.

¿ Staff received an induction process and on-going training. They had attended a variety of training to ensure they were able to provide care based on current practice when supporting people. They were also supported with regular supervisions.

¿ People could make choices about the food and drink they had, and staff gave support if and when required to enable people to eat a balanced diet.

¿ People were supported to access a variety of health professionals when required, to make sure they received additional healthcare to meet their needs.

¿ Staff provided care and support in a caring and meaningful way. They knew the people who used the service well. People and relatives, where appropriate, were involved in the planning of their care and support.

¿ People’s privacy and dignity was maintained at all times. Support plans were written in a person-centred way and were responsive to people’s needs. People were supported to follow their interests and join in activities.

¿ People knew how to complain. There was a complaints procedure in place which was accessible to all.

¿ Quality monitoring systems were in place. A variety of audits were carried out and used to drive improvement.

Rating at last inspection: Good (report published 12 May 2016)

Why we inspected:

This was a planned inspection based on the rating at the last inspection. The service remained rated Good overall.

Follow up:

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

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