Archived: 804 Walsall Road

Updated 1 July 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 comprehensive inspection took place on 13 June 2017 and was unannounced. The inspection team consisted of one inspector.

As part of planning the inspection we reviewed any information we held about the service. We also checked if the provider had sent us any notifications. These contain details of events and incidents the provider is required to notify us about by law, including unexpected deaths and injuries occurring to people receiving care. We used this information to plan what areas we were going to focus on during our inspection visit.

During our inspection visit we spoke with one person who lived in the home. Some people living at the home were unable to speak with us due to their health conditions. We used our Short Observational Framework for Inspection (SOFI) and spent time in communal areas observing how care was delivered. Using this tool helped us to understand the experience of people who could not talk with us.

We also spoke the registered manager, the operations manager and three members of the staff team. We sampled the records including two people’s care plans, complaints, medication and quality monitoring. We spoke by telephone with the relatives of two people who used the service.

On the day of the inspection the provider’s computerised records were unavailable so we reviewed additional information the provider sent us after the inspection including staff training and Deprivation of Liberties (DoLS) records.

Updated 1 July 2017

804 Walsall Road is a care home without nursing for up to three people, all of whom have learning disabilities and some of whom have additional physical disabilities. At the time of our inspection the service was supporting three people.

At the last inspection the service was rated Good. At this inspection we found the service remained Good.

People told us that the home was safe. Staff demonstrated that they were aware of the action to take should they suspect that someone was being abused. Risks to people were reassessed when their conditions changed. There were enough staff to meet people’s care and support needs promptly. People received their medicines safely and when they needed them.

People were supported by staff who had the skills and knowledge to meet their needs. People were supported to have the maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible.

Menus reflected people’s preferences and nutritional needs. When necessary people were helped to eat by staff. People had ‘Hospital passports’ which were care files that contained a summary of their current conditions, care needs and medication. People in the home were supported to make use of the services of a variety of mental and physical health professionals.

People told us that the registered manager and staff were caring. People were supported by regular staff who spoke fondly about the people they supported. People had key workers who understood people’s preferred communication styles and assisted them when necessary to express their views. Staff respected people’s privacy and care plans promoted people’s independence.

Staff supported people to engage in activities they enjoyed. People’s care and support was planned in partnership with them so the plan reflected their views and wishes. People told us that the registered manager and staff were approachable and would take action if they were not happy or had a complaint.

Relatives told us that the home was well run. The registered manager was aware of their responsibilities to the commission and they were knowledgeable of the type of events they were required to notify us of. Staff told us that the registered manager was supportive and led the staff team well. The registered manager and provider made checks that the standard of care was maintained and in some instances these checks had led to further improvements.

Further information is in the detailed findings below.