This inspection took place on 17 and 18 May and was unannounced.Benjamin Court is a Housing with Care scheme with 30 flats. Care and support is provided to the tenants who live in their own flats under a tenancy agreement with a housing association.
The service is required to have a registered manager in post. 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 had no concerns about their safety and staff had completed training to enable them to recognise and respond to any suspicion of abuse. Staff also understood their obligation to report any issues promptly. The service followed safe recruitment processes so that only staff, who were suitable to work in care, were employed. Risks to people’s safety were assessed and guidance for staff about any identified risks for people was clear and appropriately detailed.
There were enough staff to ensure people’s safety and people’s support needs were met, in accordance with what had been agreed in their ‘care package’.
All staff who managed people’s medicines had completed appropriate training. The service also had clear policies and procedures in place for staff to follow, with regard to the recording and administration of medicines for people.
Staff received regular support and supervision and suitable training that was relevant to their role. Formal staff meetings were held and staff communicated regularly with each other and the management team.
CQC is required to monitor the Mental Capacity Act (MCA) 2005 and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) and report on what we find. The management team ensured the service operated in accordance with the MCA and DoLS procedures and staff demonstrated a clear understanding of the MCA, DoLS, capacity and consent.
Where relevant to a person’s ‘care package’, staff worked in accordance with people’s care plans to ensure they had enough to eat and drink and people were supported to access other healthcare professionals as needed.
People were supported by caring staff and were involved in planning their own care. Staff were reliable and people knew the staff that supported them. People had thorough assessments completed before they started using the service and care packages were very person specific. The management team also regularly checked people’s care records to ensure they were kept up to date and accurately maintained.
People knew how to make a complaint and were confident that their concerns would be listened to, taken seriously and that appropriate action would be taken. Staff had regular opportunities to discuss aspects of the service and make suggestions for improvements. People using the service also had regular tenants’ meetings to express their views.
There were effective systems in place to monitor the quality of the service and these were used to develop the service further. Staff and people using the service were also involved in making decisions on how the service ran.
Record keeping and management systems were in good order, with effective auditing and follow up procedures in place. Administrative support for the service was an effective and valuable asset.
An open and inclusive culture was demonstrated in the service, with visible and positive leadership evident.