Jemini Response 52 Summerheath Road

Updated 9 March 2021

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.

As part of CQC’s response to care homes with outbreaks of coronavirus, we are conducting reviews to ensure that the Infection Prevention and Control practice was safe and the service was compliant with IPC measures. This was a targeted inspection looking at the IPC practices the provider has in place.

This inspection took place on 1st March 2021 and was announced.

Updated 9 March 2021

About the service

Jemini Response 52 Summerheath Road is a residential care home that provides accommodation and personal care for up to seven people who have learning disabilities and autism. There were five people using the service at the time of inspection. Some had specialist needs related to Autism and behaviours that challenged. People had different communication needs. Some people had limited verbal communication, and other people used gestures and body language to make their needs known. The organisation also runs two other care homes locally.

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.

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

The provider, registered manager and service manager had very good oversight of the service. The registered manager was also the manager of the organisation’s other two homes and he divided his time between each home. The service manager was responsible for the day to day running of the home. There was very good communication between the senior management and there were good systems to ensure everyone was kept up to date with accidents and incidents, complaints, medicines, recruitment and health and safety matters.

The service applied the principles and values of Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. People's support focused on them having as many opportunities as possible for them to gain new skills and become more independent. They were encouraged to take part in daily living tasks with support from staff in areas such as laundry, taking dishes to the kitchen and putting their laundry away. One person liked to make their own sandwich at lunchtime. Two people had work placements where staff supported them; one at the local library and one at a café and washing cars at a local garage.

People had complex needs and were funded to receive a high level of staff support. There had been an unsettled period when some people’s needs had increased, and this had an impact on people and staff. At the time of our inspection, the ‘crisis period’ had passed and life was slowly returning to normal. Staff, relatives and professionals complimented the management team on the support that had been provided throughout this period.

A relative told us the service manager, “Is amazing!! She supports staff and makes them feel valued. They are encouraged to keep up to date and to learn. She leads by example, good care has to come from the top and it does. We have great respect for her.” Another said, “I cannot praise the level of care and the high level of input from the Manager and her staff highly enough.”

People received support from staff who knew them well as individuals. Staff turnover was low, and relatives valued the consistency this gave people as it helped them to feel safe. People’s care and support needs were assessed and reviewed regularly. This meant people received care that was person-centred and reflected their needs and choices.

People were supported to maintain their own interests. Staff supported people to take part in choosing activities to meet their individual needs and wishes. This included, swimming, bowling, using cafes and restaurants, walking and trips to places of interest. A relative told us, “At Jemini, the staff really listen to (Person). In other places they didn’t listen. It’s refreshing, they encourage him to make decisions. Before he was deprived of this type of learning.”

People were protected from the risks of harm, abuse or discrimination because staff knew what actions to take if they identified concerns. The home was clean and tidy throughout. There were enough staff working to provide the support people needed, at times of their choice. Recruitment procedures ensured only suitable staff worked at the service.

Staff understood the risks associated with the people they supported. Risk assessments provided further guidance for staff about individual and environmental risks. People were supported to receive their medicines safely.

Staff received training that helped them to deliver the care and support people needed. This included specialist training in autism and positive behavioural support to meet people’s complex needs. They attended regular supervision meetings and told us they were very well supported by the manager. Staff told us they felt, “Completely supported,” and “really helpful, it’s a good time to talk about any worries and to share ideas.”

People's health and well-being needs were met. Where appropriate, staff supported people to attend health appointments, such as the GP or dentist and appointments for specialist advice and support. A visiting professional told us, “I am always impressed by the calm and friendly atmosphere that pervades when I visit although there are occasional outbursts which are always effectively and calmly handled by the staff team.” People’s nutritional needs were assessed. They were supported to eat a wide range of health, freshly cooked meals, drinks and snacks each day.

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. There was a detailed complaint procedure, and this was displayed so anyone wanting to raise a concern could do so.

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 11 January 2017).

The overall rating for the service has remained Good. This is based on the findings at this inspection.

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.