Archived: Grassendale

Updated 26 April 2018

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.

The inspection took place on 13 March 2018 and the provider was given 24 hours of the inspection. Grassendale is a small care home for younger adults who are often out during the day. We gave short advance notice of our visit, as we needed to be sure that someone would be in when we arrived to carry out the inspection. The inspection was carried out by an adult social care inspector.

Prior to our visit we looked at any information we had received about the home and any information sent to us by the provider since the home’s last inspection in 2015. We also contacted the Local Authority for their feedback on the home.

We were unable to talk to people who lived at the home directly as they were unable to communicate verbally but we talked to two of their relatives about the care they received. During the inspection we with the registered manager, head of quality assurance and two staff members. We also spoke with a healthcare professional to gain their views on the service.

We looked at the communal areas that people shared in the home and visited a sample of their individual bedrooms. We looked at a range of records including two care records, medication records, staff records and records relating to the management of the service.

Updated 26 April 2018

Grassendale is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided and both were looked at during this inspection.

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.

Grassendale is registered to provide accommodation for up to five people who require accommodation and support with their personal care. The home is located in Aigburth, Liverpool. At the time of our inspection four people lived at the home.

At the last inspection the service was rated good. At this inspection we found the service remained good.

We spoke with two relatives and a healthcare professional as part of the inspection. They told us the manager and the staff were kind, caring and compassionate. They said they went ‘the extra mile’ to ensure people were safe and well cared for. It was clear that they felt people’s needs were met and that people were happy with the support they received. They had great confidence in the manager and the staff team in ensuring people received the support they needed.

People’s care records contained clear and easy to understand information about people’s needs and risks and how to support them effectively. Care plans were person centred with information about people’s preferences, daily routines and what was important to them. For those people who were unable to express their needs and wishes verbally, staff had detailed information about the behaviours, gestures and body language they would display to communicate their needs or emotions. This was good practice and enabled staff to connect with the people they were supporting.

The atmosphere at the home was homely and relaxed. Staff spoken with knew people well and were able to tell us about the ‘person’ as well as the support they needed. They spoke about the people they cared for with genuine affection.

New staff were recruited safely and there was enough staff on duty each day to meet people’s needs. The staff team had not changed much since our last inspection and this meant people received their support from staff who knew them well.

Staff had received training and support to do their job role and staff spoken with told us they felt supported. Everyone we spoke with said that the service was managed well and the relatives we spoke with told us nothing was too much trouble for the manager. It was clear they held the manager and the staff team in high regard.

Medication was managed safely and people had access to a range of health and social care professionals in support of their needs. People had health passports in place which gave other health and social professionals clear information about their physical and emotional needs and the support they required.

People enjoyed a range of person centred activities and we saw that people’s preferred activities were included in their day to day support plans and used in a positive way to reduce people’s anxiety or distress.

There were a range of effective mechanisms in place to monitor the quality and safety of the service. This gave the provider and management team a clear oversight of the service so that they had an informed view of the support provided to people who lived at the home.

During our visit, we had no concerns about people’s care or the service itself. We found the home to be well-run. The manager was a visible and proactive role model for staff. They had an excellent knowledge of people’s needs and led by example.