Strathfield Gardens

Updated 13 March 2018

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection was planned to check whether the provider is meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

This inspection took place on 31 January 2018 and was announced. It was carried out by one inspector. The registered manager was given 24 hours’ notice because the service is a care home for younger adults who are often out during the day. We needed to be sure that members of the management team were available to assist us with the inspection.

Before the inspection, we checked the information that we held about the service. This included statutory notifications sent to us by the registered manager about incidents and events that had occurred at the service. A notification is information about important events which the service is required to send us by law.

We used information the provider sent us in the Provider Information Return (PIR). This is information we require providers to send us at least once annually to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make.

During our inspection we spoke with two people who used the service, two members of care staff, and the registered manager. We looked at three people's care plans, three staff recruitment files, staff rotas, and a range of records about people's care and how the service was managed. These included medicine administration record (MAR) sheets, satisfaction surveys, quality assurance audits, complaints, compliments and policies and procedures.

After the inspection we spoke to three relatives on the telephone to seek their views about the service.

Updated 13 March 2018

This inspection took place on 31 January 2018 and was announced. At our last inspection in March 2015, we found the provider was meeting the regulations we inspected and the service was rated “Good”. At this inspection, we found that the service continued to be rated “Good”.

Strathfield Gardens is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as 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 provides personal care and accommodation for seven people with learning disabilities. At the time of our visit, five people were using the service.

There was a registered manager in place. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Like registered providers, they are 'registered persons'. Registered persons have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

People using the service told us they felt safe using the service. Staff had received training to protect people from the risk of abuse. There was appropriate guidance for staff on how to manage risks to people and to keep them safe.

There were enough staff on duty to meet the needs of the people. The provider had an effective recruitment procedure to ensure that employees were of good character and had the qualifications, skills and experience to support vulnerable people.

There were systems in place to manage people's medicines so that they received them when they needed.

People were happy with the care they received. Staff knew people well and understood their needs. They respected people's privacy and dignity and their interactions with people were sensitive and respectful.

Staff received training appropriate to their role so people could be confident they were cared for safely. They understood the requirements of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA).

People and their relatives knew how to make a complaint if they were unhappy about the support they received. The registered manager had regular contact with people and their representatives and welcomed suggestions on how they could develop the service and make improvements.

People were supported to receive the healthcare that they needed. They were given opportunities to express their choices and to make decisions in their daily lives. People were supported in promoting their independence.

Care plans covered all aspects of people's individual needs. They were reviewed to reflect people's ongoing and changing needs so people received the care they needed. People were supported to eat and drink sufficient amounts of nutritionally well-balanced food and drink that met their needs.

The registered manager operated an open door policy, whereby staff, people and their relatives could speak to them about any concerns at any time. Quality assurance surveys were sent out which invited people and their relatives to make comments about the service.