Background to this inspection
Updated
16 August 2019
The inspection
We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (the Act) as part of our regulatory functions. We checked whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Act. We looked at the overall quality of the service and provided a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.
Inspection team
Due to the small size of the service the inspection was carried out by one inspector
Service and service type
Tuscany House is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as single package under one contractual agreement. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.
The service had a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. This means that they and the provider are legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided.
Notice of inspection
This inspection was unannounced.
What we did before the inspection
Prior to this inspection we reviewed all the information we held about the service, including data about safeguarding and statutory notifications. Statutory notifications are information about important events which the provider is required to send us by law. This enabled us to ensure we were addressing potential areas of concern at the inspection. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return. This is information providers are required to send us with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. This information helps support our inspections. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.
During the inspection
During the inspection we observed the care provided to people living at Tuscany House and their interactions with staff. We spoke with five members of staff including the registered manager.
After the inspection –
We spoke with two relatives to gain their views of the service their family members received. We looked at training data and quality assurance records.
Updated
16 August 2019
About the service
Tuscany House is a residential home which provides care and support to up to six people living with autism and complex communication needs. At the time of inspection there were 5 people living at Tuscany House.
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. There were deliberately no identifying signs, intercom, cameras, industrial bins or anything else outside to indicate it was a care home. Staff were also discouraged from wearing anything that suggested they were care staff when coming and going with people.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
The outcomes for people using the service reflected the principles and values of Registering the Right Support by promoting choice and control, independence and inclusion. People's support focused on them having as many opportunities as possible for them to gain new skills and become more independent. Staff at Tuscany House were exceptionally skilled and motivated in ensuring these principles were fully embedded at the heart of the service.
There was a distinct will amongst the staff team for people to be living the life they wanted. When speaking about people staff were animated and repeatedly spoke about people’s achievements and goals. Staff demonstrated a clear and in-depth understanding of each individual’s communication needs, routines and personalities. People appeared relaxed in the company of staff and relatives described staff as caring, committed and approachable.
Staff supported people in a proactive and positive manner to find ways of managing their anxieties in order to maximise their opportunities. Through detailed planning and organisation, staff supported people to take risks and achieve things which had previously been seen as unattainable. Relatives felt that people’s lives had improved and been enriched by living at Tuscany House.
The provider ensured staff had the training and resources to support people effectively. The service worked with colleagues from the training and positive behaviour support teams to develop and enhance their skills for the direct benefit of the people they supported. Staff felt incredibly supported in their roles and understood the need for cohesive team work. This was extended to include families, professionals and others central to people’s lives.
People had access to a wide range of activities which were personalised to their own interests and skills. This included a wide range of social activities, college and work experience. Staff worked closely with a range of healthcare professionals to ensure people received their health care in a way which caused them minimum distress and anxiety.
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 extremely strong leadership which focussed on ensuring people received highly personalised care which maximised opportunities. Staff told us they felt listened to and cared for which enabled them to work well as a team and maintain their positive approach.
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 (31 October 2016) insert date last report published in brackets.
Why we inspected
This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.