St Ives Close

Updated 12 December 2017

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 took place on 19 October 2017 and was unannounced. We also spoke with relatives by telephone on 1 November 2017. The inspection team consisted of one inspector.

We checked the information we held about the service and the provider. This included notifications that the provider had sent to us about incidents at the service and information we had received from the public. We used this information to formulate our inspection plan. We also received a provider information return (PIR) from the service. A PIR is a form that asks the provider to give some key information about the service. This includes what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. As part of our planning, we reviewed the information in the PIR.

Some people who used the service had complex needs and some people were unable to communicate verbally with us. Therefore, we spent time observing how staff supported people to help us better understand their experiences of their care. We spoke with four members of care staff, the deputy manager and the registered manager. After the inspection site visit, we spoke with three relatives by telephone.

We looked at the care plans of three people to see if they were accurate and up to date. We reviewed two staff files to see how staff were recruited. We checked records to see how staff were trained and supported to deliver care appropriate to meet each person’s needs. To ensure the service was continuously monitored and reviewed we looked at records that related to the management of the service including quality checks.

Updated 12 December 2017

This inspection visit was unannounced and took place on 19 October 2017. We also spoke with some relatives of people who used the service by telephone on 1 November 2017. The service is registered to provide accommodation for up to nine people, and at the time of our inspection, eight people with learning disabilities were using the service. St Ives Close 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.

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.

Our last inspection visit took place on 17 December 2015 and the overall rating for the home was ‘good.’ However, the key question, ‘is the service caring?’ was rated as ‘requires improvement.’ This was because there were aspects of care that needed improvement to ensure people’s dignity was promoted. At this inspection, the necessary improvements have been made, and we have been able to give a rating of ‘good’ in all the key questions, including, ‘is the service caring.’

People continued to be safe living at the home. They were supported by staff who understood how to protect them from harm. Risks to individuals were managed for people, and there were enough staff to meet people’s needs and keep them safe. Recruitment processes ensured that staff were safe to work with people and medicines were managed to reduce the risks associated with them.

People received support from staff who had the knowledge to carry out their roles effectively. When people were not able to make certain decisions for themselves, the provider followed the guidance available to ensure the care given was in their best interests. Staff understood how to support people to make decisions when possible. People were supported to maintain a balanced diet and access health care services.

Staff assisted people in a kind and caring manner, and had developed positive relationships with them. Staff knew people well and understood how to communicate with people to ensure they could make choices about their care. People were encouraged to be independent, and staff respected people’s privacy and promoted their dignity. People were able to maintain relationships that were important to them.

People and their relatives were involved in the planning and reviewing of the care they received. Their support was provided in an individual manner, and care plans were personal, ensuring people received support that was responsive to their needs. People were supported to participate in activities they enjoyed and were protected from the risk of social isolation. People knew how to raise concerns and these were responded to in a timely manner.

The service continued to be well managed. There were systems in place to monitor the quality of the service. This was through feedback from people who used the service, their relatives, and a programme of audits. These were used to drive continuous improvement. There was a positive culture within the home, and staff felt supported and motivated in their roles. There was a registered manager in post who understood their responsibilities of their registration with us.