Background to this inspection
Updated
1 January 2021
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.
As part of CQC’s response to care homes with outbreaks of coronavirus, we are conducting reviews to ensure that the Infection Prevention and Control practice was safe and the service was compliant with IPC measures. This was a targeted inspection looking at the IPC practices the provider has in place.
This inspection took place on 03 December 2020 and was announced.
Updated
1 January 2021
This inspection took place on 9 and 11 October 2018 and was unannounced. The previous inspection was carried out in May 2016 and there had been no breaches of legal requirements at that time. We had no previous concerns prior to this inspection.
Flaxpits House provides accommodation for up to ten adults with a learning disability. At the time of our visit there were nine people living at the service. There was a self-contained flat occupied by one person on the first floor, a self-contained annexe (this person had their own staff team) and the main house which provided a home for eight people. The registered manager told us the philosophy of the service was to help young adults with learning disabilities to move onto more independent living.
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.
There was a registered manager in post. 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.
The care service has been developed and designed in line with the values that underpin the Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. These values include choice, promotion of independence and inclusion. People with learning disabilities and autism using the service can live as ordinary a life as any citizen. This had been fully embedded into the service provision.
People remained safe at the home. There were sufficient numbers of staff to meet people’s needs and to spend time socialising with them. Risk assessments were carried out to enable people to receive care with minimum risk to themselves or others. People received their medicines safely. There was an ongoing recruitment initiative to fill the five staff vacancies. In the interim a core group of bank and agency staff were being used to offer consistency.
People were protected from the risk of abuse because there were clear procedures in place to recognise and respond to abuse. Staff had been trained in how to follow the procedures. Systems were in place to ensure people were safe including risk management, checks on the equipment and fire systems.
People continued to receive effective care because staff had the skills and knowledge required to effectively support them. People's healthcare needs were monitored by the staff. Other health and social care professionals were involved in the care and support of the people.
People were treated in a dignified, caring manner, which demonstrated that their rights were protected. Where people lacked the capacity to make choices and decisions, staff ensured people’s rights were protected.
Staff recognised the importance of effective communication enabling them to respond to people in a person centred way. People were very much involved, they were consulted about activities and involved in the recruitment of staff.
The home continued to provide a caring service to people. People, or their representatives, were involved in decisions about the care and support they received. Staff were knowledgeable about the people they supported and very committed to providing care that was tailored to the person. People were treated with kindness and compassion.
People received an exceptionally responsive service. Care and support was personalised and person led. People were supported to take part in a variety of activities and trips out based on their interests and aspirations. This included looking at long term goals such as living more independently. Creative and positive steps had been taken to promote positive relationships with each other and supporting people with a positive behaviour approach enabling them to deal with their emotions.
The service was well-led. Relatives and staff spoke extremely positively about the commitment of the registered manager and the team in supporting people.
The registered manager and provider had monitoring systems, which enabled them to identify good practices and areas of improvement. It was evident they strived to provide the best experience for people and were creative in their approach.