Archived: 109 Masons Hill

Updated 13 December 2018

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, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

The inspection site visit took place on 16 October 2018 and was announced. We gave the service 24 hours’ notice of the inspection visit because it is small and we needed to be sure that the manager would be in. This inspection was carried out by one inspector.

Prior to the inspection we reviewed information we held about the service including notifications we had received. Notifications are information about important events the provider is required to tell us about by law. We used information the provider sent us in the Provider Information Return. This is information we require providers to send us at least once annually to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. Information acquired was used to help us plan our inspection.

During the inspection we spoke with one person face-to-face and two relatives on the telephone to seek their views about the service. We spent time observing how people and staff interacted. We also spoke with the registered manager, regional manager, deputy manager and two support workers. We looked at four people’s care plans and five staff files. We also looked at records used in managing the service such as policies and procedures, audits, surveys and minutes of meetings. Following our inspection, we contacted the local authority that commissioned services from the provider to obtain their views about the service.

Updated 13 December 2018

This announced comprehensive inspection took place on 16 October 2018. 109 Mason Hill provides care and support to people living in a supported living setting, so they can live as independently as possible. People’s care and housing are provided under separate contractual agreements. CQC does not regulate premises used for supported living; this inspection looked at people’s personal care and support. At the time of this inspection, the service was providing care and support to seven people.

The care service has been developed and designed in line with the values that underpin the Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. These values include choice, promotion of independence and inclusion. People with learning disabilities and autism using the service can live as ordinary a life as any citizen.

There was 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.

This is the first inspection of the home since their registration with the provider, Care Management Group.

The provider had safeguarding policies and procedures in place and staff knew of their responsibility to safeguard people in their care. Risks to people had been identified, assessed and there were management plans in place to prevent or minimise the risk occurring. There were enough staff available to support people’s needs and the provider had followed safe recruitment practices. People were supported to take their medicines as prescribed by healthcare professionals and staff followed appropriate infection control practices to prevent the spread of infectious diseases. The service had effective systems in place to manage accidents and incidents and prevent repeat occurrences.

Before people started using the service their needs were assessed to ensure they could be met. People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice. People were supported to prepare and eat healthy food in sufficient amounts for their health and well-being. Where required, people were supported to access healthcare services and staff worked in partnership with other professionals to ensure people’s needs were met. Staff had appropriate skill and knowledge to support people’s needs because they received support through induction, training and supervisions.

People were supported by staff that were kind and caring towards them. Relatives told us they felt people were happy at the service. People and their relatives where appropriate were consulted about their care and support needs. People’s privacy and dignity was respected and their independence was promoted.

People received care and support that met their needs. Each person had a care plan which provided staff with guidance on how their needs should be met. People were supported to maintain relationships with those that were important with them. People were supported to participate in activities that interested them including swimming, cycling and art sessions. Staff promoted diversity and supported people without discrimination. People’s communication needs had been assessed and information was presented in formats that met their needs. The provider had a complaints policy in place and relatives told us they knew how to make a complaint. People's end of life wishes had been discussed with them, where they wished to do so, and appropriate plans had been put in place to ensure their wishes would be met.

The service had an effective system in place to monitor and assess the quality of the service and lessons learnt were used to continuously improve on the service delivery. Feedback provided by people, their relatives and staff was used to improve on the quality of service people received. The service worked well with key organisations to plan and deliver and effective service. Staff told us they were happy working at the service.