6a Sheerstone

Updated 30 April 2022

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 Health and Social Care Act 2008.

As part of this inspection we looked at the infection control and prevention measures in place. This was conducted so we can understand the preparedness of the service in preventing or managing an infection outbreak, and to identify good practice we can share with other services.

Inspection team

The inspection was carried out by one inspector.

Service and service type

6a Sheerstone is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing and/or personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement dependent on their registration with us. 6a Sheerstone is a care home without nursing care. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

Registered Manager

This service is required to have a registered manager. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. 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.

At the time of our inspection there was a registered manager in post.

Notice of inspection

We gave the service 24 hours’ notice of the inspection. This was because it is a small service and we needed to be sure that the provider or registered manager would be in the office to support the inspection and staff were able to inform the person living at the home that an inspector will be visiting their home.

What we did before inspection

We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return (PIR). This is information providers are required to send us annually with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. We used all this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke to four members of staff including the registered manager and three support workers. The person living at the home was unable to tell us about their experiences, so we observed care and support in communal areas. We reviewed a range of records, including medicine administration, staff recruitment files, support plans and safety checks.

After the inspection

We reviewed a range of records including risk assessments, incident and accident reports. We also reviewed a range of policies and procedures including Infection Prevention Control.

Updated 30 April 2022

Overall Summary

We expect health and social care providers to guarantee people with a learning disability and autistic people respect, equality, dignity, choices and independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted. ‘Right support, right care, right culture’ is the guidance CQC follows to make assessments and judgements about services supporting people with a learning disability and autistic people and providers must have regard to it.

About the service

6a Sheerstone is a residential care home providing personal care to up to one person. The service was specifically designed to provide support to one person in one adapted building. At the time of our inspection one person was using the service.

People’s experience of using this service and what we found

The service was able to demonstrate how they were meeting the underpinning principles of Right support, right care, right culture.

Right support: Model of care and setting maximises people’s choice, control and Independence;¿

The service was commissioned to meet the needs of the person using the service. Care and support was provided in a safe, clean, well equipped, well-furnished and well-maintained environment which met the person's sensory and physical needs.¿The person living at the service had adapted their bedroom to their liking and was supported to make changes and their independence was encouraged.

Right care: Care is person-centred and promotes people’s dignity, privacy and human rights;

The¿needs and¿quality of life¿of the person formed the basis of the culture at the service. Staff understood their role¿in making sure that the person was always put first. They provided¿care that was genuinely person centred.¿¿¿

Right culture: Ethos, values, attitudes and behaviours of leaders and care staff ensure people using services lead confident, inclusive and empowered lives;

Support met the person's needs¿and aspirations.¿Support¿focused on¿quality of life and¿followed¿best practice.¿Staff regularly evaluated¿the quality of¿support given, involving the person, their family and other professionals¿as appropriate.¿ The person living at the home, made¿choices and¿took part in¿meaningful¿activities which were part of their¿planned care and support. Staff supported them to achieve their¿aspirations and¿goals.¿¿¿¿

• The person living at the service was¿supported to have maximum choice and control of their life 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.¿

• The person living at the home was able to lead a¿confident, inclusive¿and empowered¿life because¿of the¿ethos, values,¿attitudes and behaviours¿of the management and staff.¿¿

• The leadership of the service had worked hard to create a¿learning culture. Staff felt empowered to participate in their learning and suggest improvements.¿There was a¿transparent and open and honest culture¿between the person, those important to them, staff and leaders. They all felt¿confident¿to raise concerns and complaints.

• The¿service had¿enough¿appropriately skilled¿staff to meet¿people’s¿needs and keep them safe.¿¿¿

• The person living at the home was¿supported to be independent and had control over their own life.¿Their human rights were upheld.¿¿

• The person living at the home received compassionate care from staff who protected¿and respected¿their privacy and dignity and understood their individual needs. Communication needs were met and information was shared in a way that could be understood.¿

• Individual¿risks¿were assessed¿regularly¿in a¿person-centred¿way. The person living at the home was involved in managing their own risks whenever possible and had opportunities for positive risk¿taking. ¿

• Behavioural support plans were in place to support behaviours¿that could challenge the person or others, these plans reduced the need for restrictive practices. Systems were in place to report and learn from any incidents where restrictive practices were used.¿¿

• The person living at the home received¿care and support from trained staff able to meet their needs and¿wishes.¿Managers ensured that staff¿had¿relevant¿training,¿regular¿supervision and appraisal.¿¿

• The person living at the home was supported by staff who understood best practice in relation to learning disability and/or autism. Governance systems ensured they were kept safe and received a high quality of care and support in line with their personal needs.¿The person and¿those important to them,¿worked with leaders¿to¿develop and improve¿the service.¿

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

Rating at last inspection

This service was registered with us on 12 November 2019 and this is the first inspection.

Why we inspected

We undertook this inspection to assess that the service is applying the principles of Right support right care right culture.

We looked at infection prevention and control measures under the Safe key question. We look at this in all care home inspections even if no concerns or risks have been identified. This is to provide assurance that the service can respond to COVID-19 and other infection outbreaks effectively.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.