University Care 3

Updated 4 December 2021

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.

As part of this inspection we looked at the infection control and prevention measures in place. This was conducted so we can understand the preparedness of the service in preventing or managing an infection outbreak, and to identify good practice we can share with other services.

Inspection team

The inspection was carried out by one inspector.

Service and service type

University Care 3 is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation 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.

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

We gave the service 24 hours' notice of the inspection. This was because the service is small, and people are often out, and we wanted to be sure there would be people at home to speak with us.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since they registered with us. We sought feedback from the local authority who work with the service. 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

We spoke with one person who used the service about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with two members of staff including the registered manager and a support worker.

We reviewed a range of records. This included two people’s care records and their medication records. We looked at three staff files in relation to recruitment and staff supervision. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including quality assurance records, policies and procedures were reviewed.

After the inspection

We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found. We looked at training data. We spoke with two further members of staff.

Updated 4 December 2021

About the service

University Care 3 is a care home registered to provide accommodation and personal care for up to five people in one adapted building. The service supports people living with learning disabilities, complex needs and mental health needs. At the time of our inspection three people were living at the service.

People’s experience of using this service and what we found

People received their prescribed medicines on time and staff received training to ensure they managed medicines safely. There were enough staff to provide support to safely meet people’s needs. People were protected from the risk of harm and staff understood how to recognise potential abuse and what action to take to keep people safe. Staff had been recruited safely.

People made choices about how they wanted to be supported and how they liked to spend their time. Staff supported people to make choices about their care and their views were respected. People and their advocates were involved in the planning and reviewing of their care. Where people had concerns, they were supported to voice these and management responded and acted upon any concerns voiced.

Systems were in place to assess, monitor and improve the quality of the service. People told us they felt their views were listened to in order to improve the service. The registered manager worked in partnership with other professionals to ensure people received the care they needed.

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. Where their liberty was restricted, this had been identified and action taken to ensure this was lawful. People received support and had access to advocacy and health care services. Staff received training to ensure they could work effectively in their roles.

We expect health and social care providers to guarantee autistic people and people with a learning disability the choices, dignity, independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted. Right Support, right care, right culture is the statutory guidance which supports CQC to make assessments and judgements about services providing support to people with a learning disability and/or autistic people.

The service was able to demonstrate how they were meeting the underpinning principles of Right support, right care, right culture. People’s support focused on them having opportunities to gain new skills and become more independent. People were supported to make positive decisions in order to improve their outcomes.

For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk

Rating at last inspection

This service was registered with us on 09/11/2020 and this is the first inspection.

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection since the service registered with us.

We looked at infection prevention and control measures under the Safe key question. We look at this in all care home inspections even if no concerns or risks have been identified. This is to provide assurance that the service can respond to COVID-19 and other infection outbreaks effectively.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.