The inspection took place on 21 October and 20 December 2016. The first day of the inspection was unannounced; however the registered manager was aware that we were going to return for a second day of inspection. Sutton Court, Shakespeare Road is located in Worthing, West Sussex. It is registered to accommodate a maximum of six people. The home provides support to people living with a learning disability or autistic spectrum conditions, who may need assistance with their personal care and support needs. The home itself is a large detached property, with ensuite rooms, a communal kitchen, lounge and gardens. On the day of our inspection there were six people living at the home.
The home had a registered manager. 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 protected from harm and abuse. There were sufficient quantities of appropriately skilled and experienced staff who had undertaken the necessary training to enable them to recognise concerns and respond appropriately. Peoples’ freedom was not unnecessarily restricted and they were able to take risks in accordance with risk assessments that had been devised and implemented.
Peoples’ independence was promoted and encouraged and people were able to choose how to live their lives. One person told us, “I can choose who I go out with and I pick the ones I like”. People who were able, were able to independently dispense and administer their own medicines, this was risk assessed and monitored by staff to ensure their safety. People received their medicines on time and according to their preferences, from staff with the necessary training and who had their competence assessed. There were safe systems in place for the storage, administration and disposal of medicines.
People were supported by staff with the necessary skills and experience to meet their needs. They had access to regular training and observations showed that they supported people appropriately. People were asked their consent before being supported and staff had a good awareness of legislative requirements with regard to making decisions on behalf of people who lacked capacity. One member of staff told us, “We always get their consent first”.
People and their relatives, if appropriate, were fully involved in the planning, review and delivery of care and were able to make their wishes and preferences known. Support plans were person-centred and documented peoples’ needs and wishes in relation to their social, emotional and health needs and these were reviewed and updated regularly to ensure that they were current.
There were varied responses with regard to the food that was provided. Most people were happy with the food and were able to choose what they had to eat. One person told us, “I like the food here, X is a good cook”. People’s health needs were assessed and met and they had access to medicines and healthcare professionals when required.
The home had a relaxed, friendly and homely atmosphere. When asked about the ethos of the service provided, one member of staff told us, “To create a home for life based on the concept of family”. Staff worked in accordance with peoples’ wishes and people were treated with respect and dignity. It was apparent that staff knew peoples’ needs and preferences well. Positive relationships had developed between people and staff. One person told us, “I like living here, I have a key worker, I get on with them. I’m happy, I’m not angry”. Another person told us, “They’re very kind, I like them”.
The registered manager welcomed feedback and used this to drive improvements and change. There were minimal complaints and those that had been made were dealt with effectively and in accordance with the provider’s policy. There were quality assurance processes in place to enable the registered manager to have oversight of the home and to ensure that people were receiving the quality of service they had a right to expect. People, relatives and staff were complimentary about the leadership and management of the home. One member of staff told us, “I think that the leadership and management is good, it allows us to express ourselves and bring something to the table, we are not restricted from giving input”. When asked what was important in relation to the running of the home, the registered manager told us, “We are here because of these guys”.