Updated 24 May 2018
We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection was planned to check 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 was a comprehensive inspection and was unannounced. The inspection took place on 16 April 2018 and was carried out by one adult social care inspector and an expert by experience. An expert-by-experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of care service. This expert-by-experience had experience of caring for a person with a learning and physical disability. During this inspection there were 62 people accessing the service over varying periods receiving personal care. We do not regulate the care for people who do not receive the regulated activity of personal care.
Before the inspection we reviewed previous inspection reports and other information we held about the home including any notifications. A notification is information about important events which the service is required to send us by law.
During the inspection we looked at six people's care plans, three staff records and other records in relation to the running of the home. We spoke with two assistant managers, the service manager for Plymouth City Council and five members of staff including a residential support worker and the clerical officer. We also telephoned four parent/carers of people who use the service during the day to ask them about their experience of the care provided at the service. The registered manager was not on duty during our inspection. During our inspection 14 people were out for the day carrying on their usual activities, such as day services in the community. We spent time with the one person who remained in the service during the day. They were non-verbal but we were able to communicate with them using their preferred method with support from their care worker.