The inspection was carried out on 23 January 2018, and was an unannounced inspection.74 Sir Evelyn Road is a residential home providing care and support for up to six people with Learning disabilities. The service is part of a group of homes managed by Voyage 1 Limited. People who lived in the home had autism and communication difficulties. 74 Sir Evelyn 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. At the time we inspected, five people lived in the home.
At the last Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspection on 05 January 2016, the service was rated Good in Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well Led domains with an overall Good rating.
At this inspection we found the service remained Good.
There was no registered manager at the service during our inspection. However, there was an acting manager supported by the operations manager at the service. The previous registered manager left her position in January 2018. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Like registered providers, they are ‘registered persons’. Registered persons have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act and associated Regulations about how the service is run.
The provider continued to provide good leadership. They checked staff were focussed on people experiencing good quality care and support. People and staff were encouraged to provide feedback about how the service could be improved. This was used to make changes and improvements that people wanted. Records were consistent and robust.
People continued to be safe at 74 Sir Evelyn Road. Staff knew what their responsibilities were in relation to keeping people safe from the risk of abuse. Staff recognised the signs of abuse and what to look out for. There were systems in place to support staff and people to stay safe.
The provider continued to follow safe recruitment practice.
Medicines were managed safely and people received them as prescribed.
Staff encouraged people to actively participate in activities, pursue their interests and to maintain relationships with people that mattered to them.
People received the support they needed to stay healthy and to access healthcare services.
People and staff were encouraged to provide feedback about how the service could be improved. This was used to make changes and improvements that people wanted.
There were enough staff to keep people safe. The acting manager continued to have appropriate arrangements in place to ensure there were always enough staff on shift.
Each person had an up to date, personalised support plan, which set out how their care and support needs should be met by staff. These were reviewed regularly. Staff received regular training and supervision to help them to meet people's needs effectively.
People were supported to eat and drink enough to meet their needs. They also received the support they needed to stay healthy and to access healthcare services.
Staff encouraged people to actively participate in activities, pursue their interests and to maintain relationships with people that mattered to them.
The Care Quality Commission is required by law to monitor the operation of the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards. The provider and staff understood their responsibilities under the Mental Capacity Act 2005.
Staff showed they were caring and they treated people with dignity and respect and ensured people's privacy was maintained, particularly when being supported with their personal care needs.
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.
The provider ensured the complaints procedure was made available in an accessible format if people wished to make a complaint. Regular checks and reviews of the service continued to be made to ensure people experienced good quality safe care and support.