Archived: Blithe House

Updated 27 January 2016

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. The inspection was planned to check whether the provider was 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.

We visited Blithe House on 9 October 2015. The registered manager was given 24 hours’ notice because the service was a small care home for younger adults who are often out during the day; we needed to be sure that someone would be in. The inspection was carried out by one inspector, due to the small size of the home and people’s complex needs.

Before the inspection, the provider completed a Provider Information Return (PIR). This is a form that asks the provider to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We also checked other information that we held about the service and the service provider, including notifications we received from the service. A notification is information about important events which the provider is required to tell us about by law.

We met the four people who lived in the home and had the opportunity to spend time talking with three of them. We also spoke with three relatives, the registered manager, deputy manager and a member of the care staff. We observed how staff provided cared for people to help us better understand their experiences of the care and support they received.

We looked at a range of documents and written records including people’s care records and medication charts; and staff recruitment and training files. We also reviewed records about how the service was managed, including risk assessments, quality and safety audits, and the arrangements for managing complaints.

Updated 27 January 2016

This inspection visit took place on 9 October 2015. The inspection was announced 24 hours in advance because the service was a small care home for younger adults who are often out during the day.

This was the first inspection of Blithe House since the current provider took over the running of the service in July 2014.

Blithe House provides accommodation, personal care and support for up to four adults who have a learning disability or autistic spectrum disorder. There were four people living in the home at the time of this inspection.

The service had a registered manager in post. A registered manager is a person who has registered with 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 felt safe and were cared for by staff in ways that met their needs and maintained their dignity and respect. Staff understood how to identify, report and manage any concerns related to people’s safety and welfare. There were systems and processes in place to protect people from harm, including how medicines were managed.

Safe recruitment practices were followed and appropriate checks had been undertaken, which made sure only suitable staff were employed to care for people in the home. There were sufficient numbers of experienced staff to meet people’s needs.

Staff were supported to provide appropriate care to people because they were trained, supervised and appraised. There was an induction, training and development programme, which supported staff to gain relevant knowledge and skills.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) monitors the operation of the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) which apply to care homes. Where people’s liberty or freedoms were at risk of being restricted, the proper authorisations were in place or had been applied for.

People and their relatives were involved in planning the care and support provided by the service. Staff listened to people and understood and respected their needs. Staff reflected people’s wishes and preferences in the way they delivered care. They understood the issues involved in supporting people who had lost capacity to make some decisions.

People were supported to eat and drink enough to meet their needs and to make informed choices about what they ate. Staff ensured people obtained advice and support from other health professionals to maintain and improve their health or when their needs changed.

The service was responsive to people’s needs and staff listened to what they said. Concerns or complaints were responded to appropriately. People were encouraged and supported to engage in activities and events that gave them an opportunity to socialise.

There was a friendly, homely atmosphere and staff supported people in a kind and caring way that took account of their individual needs and preferences. The staff and management team shared common values about the purpose of the service. People were supported and encouraged to live as independently as possible, according to their needs and abilities.

There was an open and inclusive culture within the service, which encouraged people’s involvement and their feedback was used to drive improvements. The registered manager demonstrated an open management style and provided leadership to the staff team. There was a range of systems in place to assess and monitor the quality and safety of the service and to ensure people were receiving appropriate support.