Archived: 7 Downing Close

Updated 16 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 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.

We inspected this service because the service had previously been rated 'Good', and it was time for us to return to check whether the rating continued to be 'Good'.

We gave the service 24 hours’ notice of the inspection visit because it is small and the manager oversees more than one home. We wanted to ensure they would be available. We also wanted to ensure people and staff were available during the day so we could see and talk to them about the care provided.

The inspection was carried out by one inspector. Three people lived at the home at the time of our visit. We checked one person's care records, two medication and health records, the medication administration records of all three people, health and safety records and policies, as well as audits undertaken to support the quality of care provided at the home.

Updated 16 May 2018

This inspection took place on 28 March 2018 and was announced. There were no breaches in the regulations at our last inspection visit.

At our last inspection visit, the home was a respite service for up to three people who had learning disabilities and autism. Recently, the service changed its statement of purpose and now provides permanent accommodation to three people. 7 Downing Close is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as single package under one contractual agreement. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

The care service had been developed and designed in line with the values that underpinned the Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. These values included 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 home had a registered manager. 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 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run. The manager had recently registered with the CQC, and was providing interim management to the service. This was because the current manager of the service was undertaking a time limited different role for the provider but was planning to return to manage the home.

The provider had recently made changes to its provision of care in Solihull. This had meant some care homes had closed and some people, staff and managers had moved to different locations. At the time of this visit, the staff team and management had only been in place for a few months and as well as providing support to people, were still in the process of adapting to the changes made.

Medicines were not always managed safely. Management had identified some of the medication concerns but not all, and had not acted on all those they had identified in a timely way.

People who lived at 7 Downing Close received care and support from a staff team that knew their needs well. People were supported by a staff team who had mostly received appropriate training to meet their needs, and who knew how to safeguard them from harm. However, records did not reflect the changes in people’s needs.

Staff were kind and caring with people, treated people with dignity, and respected people’s need for privacy.

The home had aids and adaptations to support people’s needs, and people’s rooms were personalised to reflect their hobbies and interests.

The home had worked well with other providers of health and social care to support people’s health and well-being.

People received the food and drink they liked and which met their specific dietary needs. They enjoyed a range of activities within and outside their home in the local community.

Staff felt supported by the management team and told us they were able to go to management if they had any concerns or issues. Some management processes had not supported the registered manager to have a full knowledge of issues in their home.