Archived: Ansar Projects

Updated 15 October 2016

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.

This inspection took place on the 20 September and was announced.

The inspection team consisted of one adult social care inspector.

Before our inspection we reviewed the information we held about the service including notifications the provider had made to us. This helped to inform what areas we would focus on as part of our inspection. We had requested the service to complete a provider information return (PIR); this is a form that asks the provider to give us some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We received this prior to our inspection and used the information to help with planning.

We spoke with one person who used the service, the team manager and two care staff

We looked at the care records for two people who used the service and two medicine records. We also looked at three staff personnel files and a range of records relating to how the service was managed, these included training records, quality assurance systems and policies and procedures.

Updated 15 October 2016

Ansar Projects is a large semi-detached house on a main road on the outskirts of Radcliffe. It is registered to provide accommodation and personal care for up to three people with learning disabilities and complex needs. There were two people living permanently at the home and one person was receiving respite care on the day of the inspection.

This was an announced inspection on the 20 September. Two days prior to the inspection, we contacted the provider and told them of our plans to carry out a comprehensive inspection of the service. This was because the location is a small care home for three younger adults who may have been out during the day; we needed to be sure that someone would be in.

The service had a registered manager in place at the time of our inspection. 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. However, the registered manager was on extended leave and the service was being managed by other senior staff. For this inspection it was the team manager.

Policies and procedures were in place to safeguard people from abuse and staff had received training in safeguarding adults. Staff were able to tell us how to identify and respond to allegations of abuse. They were also aware of the responsibility to ‘whistle blow’ on colleagues who they thought might be delivering poor practice to people.

Recruitment was robust and helped protect staff from harmful workers.

People were supported by sufficient numbers of well trained staff. New staff received induction training, training was ongoing to meet people’s needs and staff were supported and supervised.

People were involved in planning, shopping and preparing their meals. Staff encouraged people to take a healthy diet.

The provider was meeting the requirements of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) and the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards.

People who used the service had personalised their rooms to suit their own tastes and also had some input into the homes decoration which was very homely in character.

Staff were described as caring and were observed to be professional and friendly to people who used the service. Key workers regularly sat and discussed care and activities to ensure people’s views of the service were obtained.

Records were kept securely and staff were taught the principles of confidentiality to help maintain people’s privacy and dignity.

People had a range of social activities to help them lead fulfilling lives. This could be individual or as part of a group. People also had access to the community, went on holidays and were supported to attend college or work.

People were able to voice their concerns if they wished and had access to the complaints procedure.

Plans of care were individualised, met individual health care and social needs and were regularly reviewed and discussed with people who used the service.

There were sufficient audits for managers to help maintain or improve standards.

Policies and procedures were available for staff to follow good practice.

People who used the service and staff said managers were approachable and they felt supported.