This inspection took place on 24 November 2016 and was unannounced.The Old Red Lion is located in a pleasant village on the outskirts of the market town of Retford. It is registered to provide accommodation for a maximum of six younger adults living with Autistic Spectrum Disorder, learning disabilities and associated challenges. At the time of inspection five people were using the service.
At the time of our inspection, a new manager had recently started. They were making their application to become registered as the manager with CQC. 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 person referred to in this report as the manager is the person who has applied to CQC to become the registered manager for the service.
People who used the service and those supporting them knew who to report any concerns to if they felt they or others had been the victim of abuse. Risks in relation to people’s daily life were assessed and planned for to protect them from harm. There were enough staff with the right skills and experience to meet people’s needs. Medicines were stored, administered and handled safely so that people had their medicines as prescribed.
People were supported by staff who had the knowledge and skills to provide safe and appropriate care and support. Staff received supervision of their work. People were enabled to make decisions and staff knew how to act if people did not have the capacity to make decisions. People ate well and were supported to maintain a healthy diet. Staff monitored and responded to people’s health conditions, with people having access to their GP and other health care professionals as and when they required.
People were supported by staff who were caring and treated them with kindness, respect and dignity. Where people showed signs of distress or discomfort, staff responded to them quickly. People were supported to access an independent advocate if they wanted to. There were no restrictions on friends and relatives visiting their family members. People could have privacy when needed.
People and their relatives were involved with the planning of the care and support provided. Care plans were written in a way that focused on people’s choices and preferences. Regular monitoring of people’s assessed needs was conducted to ensure staff responded appropriately. People were able to access the activities and hobbies that interested them and enjoyed active lives in the community. A complaints procedure was in place and people felt comfortable in making a complaint.
There was a positive atmosphere within the home and people were encouraged to contribute to decisions to improve and develop the service. Robust auditing and quality monitoring processes were in place. The service continually strived to improve the quality of the service that people received.