Archived: SENSE - 38 Church Street

Updated 18 May 2017

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection checked 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 21 February 2017 and was announced. The provider was given 48 hours’ notice because we had booked a sign language interpreter. However, the interpreter was not part of the inspection team as the person living at the home we wanted them to speak to was not available. The inspection team consisted of a single inspector.

Before the inspection we reviewed the information we held about the home. This included any incidents the provider was required to tell us about by law and concerns that had been raised with us by the public or health professionals who visited the service. We also reviewed information sent to us by the local authority who commission care for some people living at the home. Before the inspection, the provider completed a Provider Information Return (PIR). This is a form that asks the provider to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make.

During the inspection we spoke with one person who lived at the service and we spent some time observing care. We spoke with the registered manager and two other members of staff.

We looked at two care plans and other records which recorded the care people received. In addition, we examined records relating to how the service was run including staffing, training and quality assurance.

Updated 18 May 2017

The inspection took place on 21 February 2017 and was unannounced.

Sense - 38 Church Street is a care home which provides personal care for six people who experience a range of learning disabilities, physical disabilities and sensory impairments. Upstairs there are three flats for people who are able to live more independent lives. The accommodation for another three people is on the ground floor and includes private en-suite bedrooms and shared communal areas. There were five people living at the home when we inspected.

At the last inspection, the service was rated Good.

At this inspection we found the service remained Good.

There were enough staff to care for people and they were supported to develop and maintain the skills needed to provide safe care. Staff had received training in how to recognise abuse and were confident to raise any concerns.

Risks to people were identified and action was taken to mitigate those risks and keep people safe. Medicines were safely managed and people were encouraged and supported to be independent with their medicines. People’s ability to maintain a healthy weight was monitored and appropriate advice and support was sought from healthcare professionals if needed.

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 supported this practice. Where people were unable to make choices about their lives the registered manager, staff, healthcare professionals and family members made choices in people’s best interest.

Staff were kind and caring and had the skills to communicate and develop relationships with the people living at the home. People were supported to develop their independence in all areas of their lives dependant on their skills and abilities.

Staff knew people’s care needs and were supported by informative care plans developed by people living at the home, their family members and staff. People were supported to live meaningful lives with appropriate activities and work placements.

The home was well led and people living at the home and their relatives had their views of the care they received gathered. The registered manager took notice of people’s views and made changes to the home and care as a result. There were effective audits in place to monitor the quality of the care provided for people and the registered manager took account of reports from external agencies

Further information is in the detailed findings below