Background to this inspection
Updated
25 March 2020
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. We checked whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Act. We looked at the overall quality of the service and provided a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.
Inspection team
The inspection was carried out by one inspector.
Service and service type
Choice Support 2 Endymion Road 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.
Notice of inspection
This inspection was unannounced.
What we did before the inspection
We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. The provider was not asked to complete a provider information return prior to this inspection. 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 in this report. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.
During the inspection
We observed care as people at the service were unable to speak to us. We spoke with four members of staff including the registered manager, deputy manager, and three care workers.
We reviewed a range of records. This included two people’s care records and two medication records. We looked at two staff files in relation to recruitment and staff supervision. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures were reviewed.
After the inspection
We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found. We looked at training data and quality assurance records. We spoke with three relatives to seek their feedback on the quality of the service for their family member.
Updated
25 March 2020
About the service
Choice Support – 2 Endymion Road is a residential care home providing personal care to six people with autism and a learning disability.
The care home accommodates 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 was a large home, bigger than most domestic style properties. It was registered for the support of up to six people. Six people were using the service. The building was very large, however, the size of the service having a negative impact on people was mitigated by the building design fitting into the residential area and the other large domestic homes of a similar size. There were deliberately no identifying signs, intercom, cameras, industrial bins or anything else outside to indicate it was a care home. Staff were also discouraged from wearing anything that suggested they were care staff when coming and going with people.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
The care home was in need of redecoration and repairs in the kitchen in particular the floor and wall tiles.
People were unable to verbally communicate with us during the inspection, so we observed care.
People’s relatives told us they thought their relative was safe at the service. Staff at the service knew people’s individual risks and how to reduce the risk of harm and did not have any undue restrictions on their daily lives. Medicines were managed safely, and staff were trained in their safe administration. Recruitment checks were in place to ensure staff were suitable and safe to support people living at the home.
The service was clean and free from malodour. The risk of infection was reduced as staff followed safe hygiene practices.
Staff received appropriate training to give them the skills needed to provide good effective care to people. Staff received effective supervision from the registered manager. Relatives thought staff were good at their jobs and had the skills needed.
People’s health was regularly monitored, and staff supported people to attend appointments with health professionals and health screening schemes. People were provided with a varied and healthy diet and were able to eat foods of their choice and from their culture.
People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.
Staff were kind and caring. Staff respected people’s privacy, dignity and independence. Relatives spoke positively of the staff supporting their family member and how they interacted with them. Staff were non-discriminatory towards people in the home and respected each person as an individual.
Care was personalised and regularly reviewed. Care plans were detailed and contained preferences in care and how to support people at all times. People’s communication needs were documented in their care plans and staff knew how to effectively communicate with people. End of life wishes were documented.
Staff were very complimentary of the registered manager and deputy manager. Staff told us they felt well supported and the atmosphere at work was positive. Quality assurance systems were in place and supported the registered manager and deputy manager to monitor the care people received and plan improvements where needed.
The service applied the principles and values of Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. These ensure that people who use the service can live as full a life as possible and achieve the best possible outcomes that include control, choice and independence.
The outcomes for people using the service reflected the principles and values of Registering the Right Support by promoting 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.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk
Rating at last inspection
The last rating for this service was requires improvement (published 29 March 2018). Since this rating was awarded the registered provider of the service has altered its legal entity. We have used the previous rating to inform our planning and decisions about the rating at this inspection. This service was registered with us on 29/01/2019 and this is their first inspection as a newly registered service.
Why we inspected
This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.
Follow up
We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.