Footsteps Medical Care Limited

Updated 21 December 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

Footsteps Medical Care Limited 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. Footsteps Medical Care Limited 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 provider is required to have a registered manager to oversee the delivery of regulated activities at this location. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Registered managers and providers are legally responsible for how the service is run, for the quality and safety of the care provided and compliance with regulations.

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

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. 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 with 6 members of staff including the registered manager and care workers. We spoke with 5 relatives of people who used the service about their experience of the care provided.

We used the Short Observational Framework for Inspection (SOFI). SOFI is a way of observing care to help us understand the experience of people who could not talk with us.

We reviewed a range of records. This included 3 people’s care records and a range of medication records. We looked at 3 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 and sought feedback from 5 professionals. We received feedback from 1 professional about their experience of the care provided.

Updated 21 December 2022

About the service

Footsteps Medical Care Limited is a residential care home providing personal care to up to 5 people. The service provides support to adults living with a learning disability. At the time of our inspection there were 5 people using the service.

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

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.

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

Risks to people were assessed and managed safely. The registered manger was adapting their systems to use universally recognised risk assessment tools to further manage risk and ensure people’s safety was consistent with national guidance and best practice.

People's needs were fully assessed and understood by staff, and care plans reflected people's individual needs. The registered manager acknowledged that some care plans had not been reviewed recently due to a change from a paper to digital system. The registered manager was reviewing these as a priority ensure they remained current.

People were protected from abuse and poor care and staff told us they were confident any concerns would be robustly addressed. The service had enough appropriately skilled staff to meet their needs and keep them safe.

Medicines were administered by trained staff and were managed safely and effectively.

People were supported by a consistent care team who knew them well.

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.

The registered manager modelled good practice and led by example. Staff and relatives spoke positively about the leadership within the home.

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

Rating at last inspection and update

The last rating for this service was good (published 18 April 2019).

Why we inspected

The inspection was prompted in part due to concerns received about safeguarding, record keeping and staffing. A decision was made for us to inspect and examine those risks.

We found no evidence during this inspection that people were at risk of harm from this concern. Please see the safe and well led sections of this full report.

You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Footsteps Medical Care Limited on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.

Follow up

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