Mowbray House

The accommodation was arranged over two floors, on the ground floor, there was a large kitchen and dining room, and two lounges that were used for activities and watching television. People's bedrooms were spacious and individually decorated. There was also a separate building in the grounds that one person accessed with the support of staff so they could take part in independent activities in a quiet area.

We found the following examples of good practice.

The home had policies and procedures to manage any risks associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. This included the management of people with a COVID-19 positive diagnosis.

People living in the home and their relatives were supported to maintain contact.

A programme of regular COVID-19 testing for both people in the home, staff, and visitors to the home had been implemented. All visitors, including professionals were subject to a range of screening procedures, including showing evidence of vaccination and a negative lateral flow test before entry into the home was allowed.

There was an ample supply of PPE for staff and any visitors to use. Hand sanitiser was readily available throughout the service. Staff had received training on the use of PPE and were planning an update. Hand washing guidance was available at sink areas, including in easy read format.

Daily cleaning schedules were implemented, and all staff were involved in undertaking touch point cleaning.

We found the following examples of good practice.

Staff were utilising a garden house to do visitor checks prior to admittance to the house, this was not accessed by people living in the home and provided increased safety for residents.

Staff were having daily lateral flow testing prior to shifts due to the vulnerability of the residents. They were required to report their results during the handover session before providing care to the residents.

Mowbray House 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. Mowbray House accommodates up to five people with learning disabilities. On the day of our inspection there were five people using the service.

The care service has 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.

The service had a registered manager in place. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) to manage the service. Like providers, they are ‘registered persons’. Registered persons have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

We last inspected the service in September 2015 and rated the service as ‘Good.’ At this inspection we found the service remained ‘Good’ and met all the fundamental standards we inspected against.

Accidents and incidents were appropriately recorded and risk assessments were in place. The registered manager understood their responsibilities with regard to safeguarding and staff had been trained in safeguarding vulnerable adults.

Appropriate arrangements were in place for the safe administration and storage of medicines.

The home was clean, spacious and suitable for the people who used the service, and appropriate health and safety checks had been carried out.

There were sufficient numbers of staff on duty in order to meet the needs of people who used the service. The provider had an effective recruitment and selection procedure in place and carried out relevant vetting checks when they employed staff.

Staff were suitably trained and received regular supervisions and appraisals.

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives, and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible.

People were protected from the risk of poor nutrition and staff were aware of people’s nutritional needs. Care records contained evidence of people being supported during visits to and from external health care specialists.

Family members were complimentary about the standard of care at Mowbray House.

Staff treated people with dignity and respect and helped to maintain people’s independence by encouraging them to care for themselves where possible.

Care records showed that people’s needs were assessed before they started using the service and care plans were written in a person-centred way. Person-centred is about ensuring the person is at the centre of any care or support plans and their individual wishes, needs and choices are taken into account.

Activities were arranged for people who used the service based on their likes and interests and to help meet their social needs.

The provider had an effective complaints procedure in place and people who used the service and family members were aware of how to make a complaint.

The provider had an effective quality assurance process in place. Staff said they felt supported by the registered manager. People who used the service, family members and staff were regularly consulted about the quality of the service via meetings and surveys.

The service planned and delivered care and support so that people's needs were met. Staff supported people in an engaging way and regular activities were arranged. Relatives we spoke with told us 'They look after him very well' and 'He's always happy to go back.'

The service had an effective recruitment and selection procedure in place and carried out relevant checks when recruiting staff.

The home was clean and well maintained and there were systems in place to regularly check the quality of the care and the maintenance and safety of the premises. People were consulted about the care they received and the service had an effective complaints procedure in place.

The deputy manager told us most people who lived at the home found it difficult to express their overall views about the service directly. To overcome this they had used their knowledge of peoples' preferences, behaviour and responses to organise the support people needed in a way that was acceptable to them. They had also carried out a survey with people to see what they thought about life at the home. In the survey everyone said they liked living at Mowbray House and they felt safe in their home.

We saw the premises were well maintained and had a welcoming, homely feel.