Jameson House

Updated 23 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 the coronavirus pandemic we are looking at the preparedness of care homes in relation to infection prevention and control. This was a targeted inspection looking at the infection control and prevention measures the provider has in place.

This inspection took place on 25 February 2021 and was unannounced.

Updated 23 March 2021

This comprehensive inspection took place over two days on the 27 September and 2 October 2017.

Jameson House residential care home that provides personal care and support registered for up to five people who have a learning disability and/or autistic spectrum disorder. People using the service live in a single house located within a residential community setting. People living in care homes receive accommodation and personal care and nursing or personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection. At the time of our inspection there were four people living at the service.

At the last inspection, the service was rated Good. At this inspection, we found the service remained Good.

A Registered Manager was 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.

The registered provider was also the registered manager. They had clear aims and objectives with vision for the service with ongoing work to embed the values of providing personalised care, promoting independence, choice, rights and empowerment. We saw that the registered manager and staff put these values into practice.

This service was provided in line with the values that underpin the ‘Registering the Right Support’ and other best practice guidance. These values include supporting people with choice, promotion of independence and inclusion. People with learning disabilities and autism using the service are supported to live as ordinary a life as any other citizen.

People were treated with dignity and respect and staff interacted with people in a kind, caring and sensitive manner. Staff demonstrated a good knowledge of their roles and responsibilities in recognising abuse and safeguarding procedures with steps they should take to protect people.

The registered provider had a system in place to ensure appropriate recruitment checks had been carried out before staff started working at the service. There were sufficient numbers of skilled, well trained and qualified staff on duty. Staff told us that they felt well supported in their role and we saw that staff had received regular supervision and training relevant to the roles they were employed to perform.

We found that detailed assessments had been carried out prior to admission to the service. Care plans had been developed around each individual’s needs and preferences. We saw that there were comprehensive risk assessments in place and plans to guide staff in how the risks identified were to be managed and mitigated. People were supported with taking informed, every day risks and encouraged to take part in daily activities and outings. We saw that appropriate assessments had been carried out where people living at the service were not able to make decisions for themselves, to help ensure their rights were protected.

People’s medicines had been stored safely. There were clear personalised protocols in place to guide staff as to how people liked to take their medicines and identified allergies.

People looked happy and relaxed with staff. Where people lacked capacity to air their views verbally, staff supported people with opportunities to communicate through pictorial aids and visual prompts appropriate for the individual. Relative’s told us they were able to raise concerns and there were systems in place to ensure people could be confident they would be listened to and appropriate action taken.

People were supported to be able to eat and drink sufficient amounts to meet their needs and were offered choice. Where assessed as appropriate people were supported to increase their independence and gain life skills. People had access to a range of healthcare providers such as specialist learning disability nurses, their GP, dentists and opticians.

People had some opportunity to feedback on their experiences through monthly keyworker meetings and regular care reviews. Staff involved people in day to day decisions and the running of the service. Staff worked to create ways to involve people with limited verbal communication in day to day decisions and the running of the service.

Staff understood their roles and responsibilities and told us they were well supported by the management of the service. There was an open culture where people felt comfortable to air their views and, provide honest feedback. The registered manager was a visible presence in the service and carried out a number of quality and safety monitoring audits to help ensure the service was running effectively, keep people safe and to plan for improvement of the service.