The Green

Updated 14 February 2019

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, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

This inspection was unannounced and took place on 15 January 2019. It was completed by one inspector.

The provider was asked to send us a provider information return (PIR) which they did within the required timescales. This document is designed to provide key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make.

We looked at all the information we have collected about the service. This included the previous inspection report and notifications the registered manager had sent us. A notification is information about important events which the service is required to tell us about by law.

We looked at documentation for three people who live in the service. This included care plans, daily notes and other paperwork, such as medication records. In addition, we looked at records related to the running of the service. These included a sample of health and safety, quality assurance, staff and training records.

During our inspection we observed care and support in communal areas of the service. We interacted with people who live in the home. Some people had limited verbal communication but were able to express their views by facial expression, body language or staff interpreted the meaning of their individual communication methods. We spoke with five staff members, the registered manager and the deputy manager. We also spoke in private with a visiting professional who had regular contact with people living in the service. We requested information from a range of other professionals, family members and staff. We received six responses from family members and none from visiting professionals during the draft stage of the report. In addition, we received written feedback from two staff members.

Updated 14 February 2019

The Green is a care home without nursing which is registered to provide a service for up to 15 people with learning disabilities and some with physical disabilities. There were 13 people living in the service on the day of the visit. All accommodation is provided within a range of self-contained apartments set in a court yard arrangement within a village style development.

This unannounced inspection took place on 15 January 2019. At this inspection we found the service was Good overall.

Why the service is rated Good overall:

There is a registered manager running the service. 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’s safety was upheld by staff who had been trained in safeguarding vulnerable adults and health and safety policies and procedures. Staff clearly understood how to protect people and who to alert if they had any concerns. General building and operational risks and risks to individuals were identified, assessed and appropriate action was taken to eradicate or reduce them.

There were enough staff on duty at all times to meet people’s diverse, individual needs safely and effectively. Whilst there had been some turnover of staff the service had a consistent staff team. The provider had robust recruitment procedures. People were given their medicines safely, at the right times and in the right amounts by trained and competent staff.

The service remained effective. Staff were well-trained and able to meet people’s health and well-being needs. They were able to respond effectively to people’s current and changing needs. The service sought advice from and worked with health and other professionals to ensure they met people’s needs.

People were encouraged 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 practise.

The service continued to be caring and responsive. The committed, attentive and knowledgeable staff team provided care with kindness and respect. Individualised care planning ensured people’s equality and diversity was fully respected. People were provided with a range of activities, according to their needs, abilities, health and preferences. Care plans were reviewed and updated and management maintained an oversight. Care plans contained up to date information and records demonstrated that risk assessments were usually reviewed within stated timescales.

The registered manager was well regarded and respected. The quality of care the service provided continued to be reviewed and improved, as necessary.