The Mullion

Updated 4 August 2022

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 Health and Social Care Act 2008.

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

This inspection was carried out by one inspector.

Service and service type

The Mullion is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing and/or personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement dependent on their registration with us. The Mullion is a care home without nursing care. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

Registered Manager

This service is required to have a registered manager. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. 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.

At the time of our inspection there was a registered manager in post.

Notice of inspection

This inspection was unannounced.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We sought feedback from the local authority and professionals who work with the service. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return (PIR). This is information providers are required to send us annually with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. We used all this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We used the Short Observational Framework for Inspection (SOFI). SOFI is a way of observing care to help us understand the experience of people who could not talk with us. We spoke with four members of staff including the registered manager, two carers and an agency carer. We reviewed a range of records. This included support plans and medicines records for three people. We looked at four staff files in relation to recruitment. We also reviewed a variety of records relating to the management of the service. After the inspection we continued to review a variety of records relating to the management of the service, including risk assessments, quality assurance records, training data and policies and procedures. We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found.

Updated 4 August 2022

About the service

The Mullion is a residential care home providing care and accommodation for up to three people who are living with a learning disability. At the time of our inspection there were three people using the service.

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

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.

Based on our review of safe, effective and well led the service was able to demonstrate how they were meeting the underpinning principles of Right support, right care, right culture.

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.

The provider's vision and values focused on person-centeredness, being passionate about making a difference to people's lives and ensuring positive outcomes for people. We observed staff understood and cared for people in a manner that was in keeping with these principles.

Staff anticipated and managed risk in a person-centred way, there was a culture of positive risk taking. Staff demonstrated their knowledge of people and how to support them to manage their individual risks. There were appropriate policies and systems in place to protect people from abuse. Staff and the registered manager understood their responsibilities to safeguard people. Accidents and incidents were documented and investigated with action taken to prevent a reoccurrence.

People's needs were assessed, regularly reviewed and included their physical, mental health and social needs. People were supported to maintain contact with their family members and the provider facilitated visits for people living in the home in accordance with government guidance.

People received their medicines safely in line with their preferences and by staff who knew them well. However, we found some records relating to medicines had not always been completed in line with best practice. The provider took action to address this during the inspection.

Staff told us there were enough staff to meet people’s needs and we observed safe staffing levels throughout the inspection; staff appeared unhurried and responsive to people. Staffing levels were based on the needs of the people living at the service and were changed in response to people’s changing needs. Safe recruitment processes were in place and people were supported to be involved in recruitment.

People were supported with personalised menu planning and care plans confirmed people’s dietary needs had been assessed with support and guidance recorded for the individual. People were supported to see health care professionals according to their needs. The management and staff team worked in partnership with a variety of healthcare professionals and had developed good working relationships which supported positive outcomes for people.

People's rooms were personalised, and people were offered opportunities to be involved in deciding the décor. There was some required maintenance, and some outstanding actions, that once completed would enhance the environment.

Staff were positive about the training they had received. They told us they felt confident and competent in supporting people with their individualised needs. Staff new to the service, including agency staff, were supported with a robust induction programme.

The provider's vision and values focused on person-centeredness, being passionate about making a difference to people's lives and ensuring positive outcomes for people. The registered manager was passionate about person-centred support and deployed staff effectively to ensure they had time to spend with people to meet their needs and to promote their independence.

The provider had systems and processes in place for monitoring the quality of care and to drive improvements. Staff felt included, confident and supported in making suggestions. The registered manager spoke about the importance of valuing staff and strived to be inclusive and supportive.

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

Rating at last inspection

The last rating for this service was good (published 12 December 2017).

Why we inspected

We received concerns in relation to safeguarding and management oversight. As a result, we undertook a focused inspection to review the key questions of safe, effective and well-led only.

For those key questions not inspected, we used the ratings awarded at the last inspection to calculate the overall rating.

The overall rating for the service has remained good based on the findings of this inspection.

We found no evidence during this inspection that people were at risk of harm from this concern. Please see the safe, effective and well-led sections of this full report.

You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for The Mullion on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.