Background to this inspection
Updated
24 July 2021
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 undertaken by one inspector.
Service and service type
This service provides care and support to people living in specialist ‘extra care’ housing. Extra care housing is purpose-built or adapted single household accommodation in a shared site or building. The accommodation is rented and is the occupant’s own home. People’s care and housing are provided under separate contractual agreements. CQC does not regulate premises used for extra care housing; this inspection looked at people’s personal care service.
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
This inspection was announced.
We gave the service 48 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.
What we did before the inspection
We reviewed information we held about the service which included notifications of events and incidents at the service. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return. This is information providers are required to send us with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. This information helps support our inspections. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.
During the inspection-
We looked at three people’s care files, seven people’s medication administration records, three staff files, quality assurance reports and other records relating to the management of the service including incidents and accidents records. We spoke with two people using service, two support staff, the registered manager, a representative of the provider and three healthcare professionals from the mental health team involved in the treatment and care of people.
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 two professionals who regularly visit the service.
Updated
24 July 2021
About the service
Somerset Villas is an extra care housing providing personal care to people suffering from mental health problems. People using the service lived in a single ‘house in multi-occupation’ shared by 14 people.
Not everyone who used the service received personal care. CQC only inspects where people receive personal care. This is help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do, we also consider any wider social care provided. At the time of our visit, the service supported eight people with personal care needs.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
Risks to people were managed effectively to reduce harm to them. Lessons were learned from incidents and accidents. Staff had received training in safeguarding adults and knew the actions to take to protect people from abuse. There were enough staff available to deliver safe support to people. People medicines were safely managed. Staff followed infection prevention and control procedures to reduce risks of infection.
People’s needs were thoroughly assessed following best practice guidance. People were supported to meet their nutritional and hydration needs. People had access health and social care services to maintain good health and to meet their mental health needs. Staff liaised with other services to ensure people’s care and support were effectively planned and delivered.
Staff were supported to be effective in their roles. Staff were inducted into their roles; and received regular training, supervisions and annual appraisals.
Staff and the registered manager understood their roles and responsibilities under the Mental Capacity Act (MCA) 2005. 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 support this practice. People consented to their care before they were delivered.
People told us staff treated them with dignity and respect. People were involved and supported to express their views about their care and support. People were supported to promote and maintain their independence.
Staff communicated with people in the way they understood, and people were given with information in formats they understood. People’s equality and diversity needs were respected. People received support to meet their individual needs. People’s care plans were reviewed and updated regularly to reflect their current needs.
There was a complaints procedure available. People knew how to complain if they were unhappy with the service.
People and staff were involved in planning and developing the service. The quality of the service was regularly assessed. The provider worked in partnership with other organisations to develop the service. The registered manager met their statutory responsibilities to the CQC.
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 10 October 2018 and this is the first inspection.
Why we inspected
This was a planned inspection based in line with our inspection programme for newly registered services.
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.