Background to this inspection
Updated
14 November 2019
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 Care Act 2014.
Inspection team
The inspection was carried out by one inspector.
Service and service type
Sutton Court Associates – 17 Shakespeare Road, is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as a 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 had a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. 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.
Notice of inspection
This inspection was unannounced.
What we did before the inspection
Before the inspection we reviewed the information we held about the service. This included information from other agencies and statutory notifications sent to us by the registered manager about events that had occurred at the service. A notification is information about important events which the provider is required to tell us about by law. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return. This is information providers are required to send us with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. This information helps support our inspections. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.
During the inspection
We met with three people who lived at the service. We spent time observing the care and support people received. We spoke with the provider, who is the nominated individual, the provider’s general manager, the home manager and two support workers. The nominated individual is responsible for supervising the management of the service on behalf of the provider. At the time of the inspection, the registered manager was on leave. The general manager had oversight of the service and was supporting the home manager in the interim. We reviewed a range of records. These included three care plans and six medication records. We looked at one staff file in relation to recruitment and supervision records. A variety of records relating to the management of the service were reviewed.
Updated
14 November 2019
About the service
Sutton Court Associates Limited – 17 Shakespeare Road, provides personal care for up to six people living with a learning disability and/or autism. At the time of the inspection, the home was full. The service applied the principles and values that underpin Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. This ensures that people who use the service can live as full a life as possible and achieve the best possible outcomes. The principles reflect the need for people with learning disabilities and/or autism to live meaningful lives that include control, choice, and independence. People using the service received planned and co-ordinated person-centred support that was appropriate and inclusive for them.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
People were involved in all aspects of the service and their views were listened to and acted upon. People were encouraged to make decisions relating to their care and support; their independence was supported and promoted. 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.
Referrals for people to come and live at the service were received from local authorities. Careful thought was given to the assessment process and people already living at the home were asked for their feedback about any potential, new admissions. Care plans were detailed and written in a person-centred way. Staff were knowledgeable of people’s support needs and delivered care in line with people’s needs and preferences. Staff completed a range of training that enabled them to deliver personalised care to people.
People were encouraged to be involved in all aspects of the home, from planning and choosing menus, to deciding how they wanted their rooms decorated. People decided how they wanted to spend their time and what activities they wanted to participate in, at home and in the community. Some people attended day centres during the week. People had access to a range of healthcare professionals and service. Positive, caring and compassionate relationships had been developed between people and staff.
People were protected from harm by staff who had completed safeguarding training; staff knew what actions to take if they suspected any form of abuse. Risks to people were identified and assessed as needed, with guidance for staff which was followed. There were enough staff to support people and help them engage with activities; staff worked flexibly. Medicines were managed safely.
A range of audits was effective in measuring and monitoring all aspects of the service to drive improvement. Staff felt supported by the management team and involved in developing the service. People’s views were obtained, listened to and acted upon; relatives’ feedback was positive.
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 24 January 2017).
Why we inspected
This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.
Follow up
We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.