25 November 2016
During a routine inspection
The service was registered to care for eight people with learning disabilities; there were seven people living there on the day of the inspection. Many of the people had complex health needs as well as a learning disability and had very little or no speech. This made it difficult to obtain direct quotes from them; however, we were able to gather evidence of their experience by observations and talking with the staff who cared for them.
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.
People were safe living at Hardwick Close. Staff were trained and understood their responsibility to keep people safe from harm or abuse. Some staff were not clear what the emergency evacuation procedures were for people who required assistance to transfer; and the registered manager said they would review this with staff. Medicines were managed well and there were processes in place to support staff with this.
Staff had the knowledge, skills and confidence to care for people with complex needs. Training was available to keep staff updated with current best practice and staff explained how they benefited from the training they had received. Staff sought consent before they cared for people. People were supported to maintain a healthy diet; and were encouraged to make their own choices. People were supported to attend health appointments in order to maintain their general health.
Staff had positive, caring relationships with people who used the service. Staff were kind and compassionate and took time to listen to people and understood their needs and wishes. Staff promoted peoples independence and demonstrated respect for individuals and their human rights. Staff cared for people with dignity and privacy was respected. People were supported to maintain relationships with friends and family, and visitors were encouraged. People were supported to attend events or activities where they could meet people.
Care plans were person centred and staff clearly knew people’s individual needs, wishes and preferences. People were supported to maintain their interests and participate in activities of their choosing. There was a complaints policy in place in an easy read format; and people or their families were encouraged to share any concerns and make suggestions for improvements to people’s care. The provider conducted annual surveys; and sent newsletters to inform people and staff of recent developments or improvements.
There was visible management and leadership of the service. Staff spoke positively of the support provided by the registered manager; and we could see that people were comfortable in their presence. The registered manager completed audits of processes in the service; and provided data to the provider which fed into their monitoring process. Staff meetings and supervisions took place regularly and areas for improvement were identified and discussed with the team; along with feedback from the provider of the results of their monthly monitoring. The manager responded positively to areas we highlighted during our inspection and said they would include them in their development plan.