Background to this inspection
Updated
26 February 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 - Claremont 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 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 fist day of the inspection was unannounced. We made specific arrangements for the second day so we could spend more time with people who lived at the home.
What we did before the inspection
We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We sought feedback from professionals who work with the service. 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.
During the inspection
We observed people who lived at the service in the presence of staff. We accompanied two people and the staff on a morning's activity out into the community.
We reviewed a range of records. This included four people's care and medication records. We looked at three staff files in relation to recruitment and staff supervision. A variety of records relating to the
management of the service were reviewed including those relevant to health and safety, audits, quality assurance and training.
After the inspection
We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found. We spoke with two professionals who regularly visit the service.
Updated
26 February 2020
About the service
Choice Support - is a residential care home providing personal care and support for people living with learning disabilities, autistic spectrum disorder, younger adults, and physical disabilities.
The care home is registered for four people. At the time of the inspection they were providing personal care and support to four people with learning disabilities.
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 originally two large bungalows that had been knocked into one building. The building design fitted into the residential area and the other large domestic homes of a similar size. There were no identifying features from the outside to indicate to the passing public that it was a care home. Staff were also discouraged from wearing anything that suggested they were care staff when supporting people in public places.
People's experience of using this service and what we found
People were supported by staff who treated them as individuals and afforded them dignity and respect. People's privacy and independence were promoted by the staff and they were supported with meaningful activities. People had person centred support plans in place and which they and their relatives, were actively involved in developing.
Relatives told us they felt the service was safe. Risks to people were identified and managed. Where required people were safely supported with their medicines. The provider had systems in place to ensure staff were safely recruited. Staff spoke knowledgeably about the systems in place to safeguard people from abuse.
People were supported by staff who had a thorough induction and training appropriate to their roles and responsibility. Staff told us they were well supported and had opportunity to discuss their own development and that of the service with the registered manager.
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 supported people to access the right support to stay well including providing adequate food and fluids
Systems were in place to deal with concerns and complaints. This enabled people to raise concerns about their care if they needed to.
Staff told us they felt supported by the registered manager. The provider had effective quality assurance systems to monitor the quality and safety of the care provided.
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 good (published 24 November 2017). Since this rating was awarded the registered provider of the service has changed. We have used the previous rating to inform our planning and decisions about the rating at this inspection.
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 reinspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.