Archived: Precious Homes Birmingham

Updated 29 June 2016

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.

This inspection visit to the service’s offices took place on 3 February 2016 and was announced. The provider was given 48 hours’ notice because the location provides a care and support service to people who live in supported living; we needed to be sure that someone would be in. One inspector carried out this inspection.

As part of planning the inspection we asked the provider to complete a Provider Information Return (PIR). This is a form that asks the provider to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. The provider provided this information in a timely way. We took the information they supplied into account when we made the judgements in this report.

As part of the inspection we checked if the provider had sent us any notifications. These contain details of events and incidents the provider is required to notify us about by law, including unexpected deaths, any safeguarding matters and serious injuries occurring to people receiving care.

During our inspection visit we spoke with all four people who were receiving care and support from this service. We spoke to two members of staff, the deputy manager, the registered manager and another officer of the organisation.

We looked at parts of two people’s care records to see how they received support. We looked at two people’s medicines and medicine administration records (MAR). We looked two staff recruitment files and training records. Following the inspection visit we spoke with two professionals from health and social care.

Updated 29 June 2016

We visited the service’s offices as part of our inspection on 3 February 2016 and it was announced. The provider was given 48 hours’ notice because the location provides a care and support service to people who live in supported living; we needed to be sure that someone would be in. We last inspected the service in December 2013 when we found that the service met regulations.

At the time of our inspection visit the service was supplying care and support to four people who were in supported living accommodation. The services offices were within the building of the supported accommodation but separate to it.

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.

People told us that they felt safe with the staff providing their support. There was good suitable information to support people to remain safe and to report any concerns. Staff were aware of the need to report any safeguarding concerns and there were good whistle-blowing systems in place.

Risks to people’s health and well-being were identified and detailed instructions were available to staff to minimise these risks. Staff were recruited appropriately and staff and people told us there were sufficient numbers of staff to meet people’s needs day to day. Staff supported people to take their medicines helping to keep them safe and well.

Staff working in this service understood the health and social care needs of the people for whom they provided care. People told us that staff supported them appropriately, however the provider was unable to show that there were sufficient appropriately trained staff at all times.

The registered manager and staff we spoke with understood the need to protect people’s rights and restrictions were only placed on people by legal means. People were empowered by information about their rights, including the right to refuse treatment, and what attitudes and behaviours they should expect from staff.

People were supported with their health care appointments when wanted and information was available to health professionals. People were involved in planning their care and making choices about their leisure time and recently had been involved in supporting other people in the community.

There was evidence that the registered manager had acted upon feedback from individual people who used the service and there were regular opportunities for people to express their views. The provider ensured that they acted upon recommendations from commissioners of the service. The provider arranged for the service to have an independent review and we saw that improvements had been made as a result of this review.

Although care records had improved as a result of recommendations, further work was needed to ensure that managerial records improved to aid the day to day planning.