1 Longmore Road

Updated 14 October 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 checked 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 took place on 18 and 19 September 2017. It was unannounced and was carried out by one inspector.

Prior to the inspection we looked at all the information we had collected about the service. This included previous inspection reports, information received and notifications the registered manager had sent us. A notification is information about important events which the service is required to tell us about by law.

During the inspection we spoke with all people living at the service. We also spoke with the registered manager, the deputy manager, a senior support worker and five support workers. We observed interactions between people who use the service and staff during the two days of our inspection. We spent time observing activities and lunch in the dining room. As part of the inspection we requested feedback from six community professionals and received responses from two. We also contacted the relatives of people living at the service and received feedback from four.

We looked at three people's care plans, monitoring records and medication sheets, five staff recruitment files, staff training records and the staff supervision log. Medicines administration, storage and handling were checked. We reviewed a number of other documents relating to the management of the service. For example, the electrical equipment safety check certificates, gas safety certificate, electrical wiring certificate, fire risk assessment, fire safety checks, legionella risk assessment and the complaints, compliments and incidents records.

Updated 14 October 2017

1 Longmore Road is a care home without nursing that provides a service to up to seven people with learning disabilities and/or autistic spectrum disorder. At the time of our inspection there were six people living at the service. At the last inspection, the service was rated Good. At this inspection we found the service remained Good and had continued to meet all the fundamental standards of quality and safety.

Why the service remained Good:

The staff team were caring and respectful and provided support in the way people preferred. Their right to confidentiality was protected and their dignity and privacy were respected. People were enabled and encouraged to develop and maintain their independence wherever possible.

People received care and support that was personalised to meet their individual needs. People were supported to maintain relationships with those important to them. The service provided access to local events to enhance social activities. This meant people had access to activities that took into account their individual interests and links with different communities.

Staff had a good understanding of how to keep people safe and protect them from abuse. Personal and environmental risks to the safety of people, staff and visitors had been assessed and actions had been taken to minimise those risks. We have made a recommendation that the service review their fridge food storage arrangements in line with current best practice for care homes.

Recruitment processes were in place to make sure, as far as possible, that people were protected from staff being employed who were not suitable. There were sufficient numbers of staff and medicines were stored and handled correctly.

People benefitted from a staff team that was well trained and supervised. We have made a recommendation that future ongoing staff training be updated in line with the latest best practice guidelines for social care staff.

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 were supported to eat and drink enough and their health and social care needs were met.

People were relaxed and there was an open and inclusive atmosphere at the service. Staff were happy in their jobs and there was a good team spirit. They felt supported by the management and said the training they received enabled them to meet people's needs choices and preferences. Quality assurance systems were in place to monitor the quality of service being delivered and the running of the service.

Further information is in the detailed findings in the full report.