United Response - 66 & 66a Lemsford Road

Updated 4 April 2020

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 Care Act 2014.

Inspection team

The inspection was carried out by one inspector.

Service and service type

United Response - 66 & 66a Lemsford Road 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 service had a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. This means that they and the provider are legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided.

Notice of inspection

This inspection was unannounced.

What we did before inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We sought feedback from the local authority and professionals who work with the service. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return. This is information providers are required to send us with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. This information helps support our inspections. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with one person who used the service and two relatives about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with six members of staff including the provider`s regional manager, the registered manager, deputy manager and care workers. 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 two people’s care records and medication records. We looked at two 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. We looked at training data and quality assurance records.

Updated 4 April 2020

About the service

United Response - 66 & 66a Lemsford Road is a residential care home providing personal care to 11 people who have a learning disability or autistic spectrum disorder. The home can accommodate up to 11 people.

The home provides accommodation over three floors with communal areas and access to outside space.

The service has been developed and designed in line with the principles and values that underpin Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. This ensures that people who use the service can live as full a life as possible and achieve the best possible outcomes. The principles reflect the need for people with learning disabilities and/or autism to live meaningful lives that include control, choice, and independence. People using the service receive planned and co-ordinated person-centred support that is appropriate and inclusive for them.

The service was a large home, bigger than most domestic style properties. It was registered for the support of up to 11 people. This is larger than current best practice guidance. However, the size of the service having a negative impact on people was mitigated by the building design fitting into the residential area and the other large domestic homes of a similar size. There were deliberately no identifying signs, intercom, cameras, industrial bins or anything else outside to indicate it was a care home. Staff were also discouraged from wearing anything that suggested they were care staff when coming and going with people.

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

People told us they felt safe in the home and they liked living there. Risks to people’s health and well-being had been assessed and mitigated. People were involved as far as possible in understanding the risks and how to stay safe when they were out and about in the community. Staff received training and were knowledgeable about safeguarding procedures and also how to report their concerns. There were enough staff employed through robust procedures to ensure people’s needs were met safely.

The service applied the principles and values of Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. These ensure that people who use the service can live as full a life as possible and achieve the best possible outcomes that include control, choice and independence.

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.

People’s needs were assessed and support plans were developed to ensure their needs could be met effectively by staff. Staff were trained and had support from managers through supervisions and meetings to understand and carry out their roles. People’s dietary needs were met.

People and relatives were happy with the support people received. They told us that staff working at the home were long standing and knew people well. People said staff were kind and caring. People were involved in their care and enabled to take decisions affecting their day to day life.

The outcomes for people using the service reflected the principles and values of Registering the Right Support by promoting choice and control, independence and inclusion. People's support focused on them having as many opportunities as possible for them to gain new skills and become more independent.

People and their relatives were given the opportunity to feedback on the service and their views were listened and acted upon. People received personalised care that met their individual needs. People were given appropriate support and encouragement to access and participate in meaningful activities and to pursue hobbies and individual interests. People were supported to share their views by commenting or to complain if they were unhappy with any aspect of the service and were confident, they would be listened to.

Audits done by the registered manager and the provider were effective in identifying areas in need of improvement and actions were taken to improve the quality of the service provided

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

Rating at last inspection

The last rating for this service was good (published 19 August 2017).

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.