Quinton House

Quinton House is ‘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 is registered to accommodate two people. Both people were using the service on the day of our inspection visit.

The care service had 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. However, people were given choices and their independence and participation within the local community encouraged.

At our last inspection on 10 February 2016 we rated the service ‘good.’ At this inspection we found the evidence continued to support the rating of ‘good’ overall. There was no evidence or information from our inspection and ongoing monitoring that demonstrated serious risks or concerns. This inspection report is written in a shorter format because our overall rating of the service has not changed since our last inspection.

People continued to receive a safe service where they were protected from avoidable harm, discrimination and abuse. People told us they felt safe. Risks associated with people’s needs had been assessed and planned for. Risk assessments were reviewed monthly to ensure they reflected people’s most up to date circumstances.

People were supported by a core team of staff who were suitably skilled and experienced staff to meet their needs. The people using the service were supported to be independent and they required mainly prompting rather than ‘hands-on’ support. People were prompted to take their medicines when they needed them.

Safe staff recruitment procedures were in place and used to ensure that only staff who met the services high standards worked there. Incidents were analysed for lessons learnt and these were shared with the staff team to reduce further reoccurrence and protect people from harm.

People continued to receive an effective service. Staff received the training and support that was specific and relevant to people’s individual needs. People were advised about the importance of a healthy and balanced diet. Staff supported people with their health needs and accompanied them to health care appointments if required.

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’s independence was promoted and they were supported to make informed choices about their care and support.

People continued to receive care from staff who treated them with dignity and respected their privacy. Staff had developed positive relationships with the people they supported. The people and staff had known each other for several years which fostered a family like atmosphere at Quinton House.

People continued to receive care and support that met their needs. People’s needs were assessed and planned for with the involvement of the person and or their relative when required. Care plans were detailed and read by staff when they were updated.

People were supported to pursue their interests and hobbies when they wanted to. Staff respected people’s choices about how they spent their time

There was a complaint procedure in an easy to read format that people could access if they wanted to make a complaint.

The service had a registered manager. They carried out checks to monitor the quality and safety of the service.

Further information is in the detailed findings below.

We found that people who used the service could be confident that their needs were met by sufficient numbers of staff to provide a consistent level of care.

We found systems in place to gain and review consent from people who used services and where the person using the service lacked capacity, best interest meetings were held in accordance with the law.

We saw feedback from relatives about their views of the service in March 2013, within the provider's quality survey. Feedback from each relative had been positive. Comments included, 'I think the staff do a good job, I am happy with the care and health of my relative.' Also, 'Staff are maintaining my relative's dignity and independence, my relative is very settled and that means a great deal to me.'

We found that the environment was secure and safely maintained. There was a manager in place who knew people well and they checked that the staff they employed were of good character, trained and supervised to keep people who used the service safe.

We found that people who used the service could not be sure if or when they would be supported with activities outside of the home other than when they attended external groups or clubs that provided staff to support them.

The systems in place to support people to make decisions were not sufficient to safeguard people who used the service.

We spoke with all four people who used the service and all of these people told us they were happy and felt safe living at Quinton House. Comments included, 'I feel safe here, and there are no faults whatsoever in the care provided. All of the staff are nice and kind.'

We saw how the views of the relatives of people who used the service were recorded within a satisfaction survey in September 2012. Their recorded comments showed that 100% of the relatives were happy with the services provided at Quinton House. Comments included, 'I feel absolutely at peace knowing my relative is looked after.' Another relative commented, 'First class care and support.'