About the service Emerson House is a residential care home providing personal care for up to 8 people. At the time of the inspection there were eight people living at the home. Emerson House provide care and support to adults with learning disabilities.
The care home accommodates six people in a purpose-built adapted building. It also accommodates two people in individual purpose-built ground floor studio flats.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
We saw staff support people in safe and highly competent ways. Feedback from relatives was very positive. One relative said of the staff team, “They are doing their best and they don’t stop trying.”
People were supported to access healthcare services and their medicines were managed well. People's care records were detailed and outlined the support they needed. Care records were regularly reviewed to make sure they reflected changes to people's circumstances. Detailed risk assessments were in place to identify and help minimise the chances of people experiencing harm.
People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service supported practice.
We expect health and social care providers to guarantee autistic people and people with a learning disability the choices, dignity, independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted. Right Support, right care, right culture is the statutory guidance which supports CQC to make assessments and judgements about services providing support to people with a learning disability and/or autistic people.
This service was able to demonstrate how they were meeting the underpinning principles of Right support, right care, right culture. The Model of care and setting maximises people’s choice, control and independence. The ethos, values, attitudes and behaviours of leaders and care staff helped people using the service to inclusive and empowered lives.
This was evidenced in many ways. The registered manager, senior managers and support staff all shared positive person-centred values in relation to how they supported people. People were able to make clear choices in their life for example what they did and how they spent their day. People were able to keep their rooms and accommodation in ways that reflected them and their personalities. People had unrestricted access to all parts of the home. People also looked very relaxed with all the staff and this helped convey how empowered and relaxed they were in the home.
Rating at last inspection (and update)
The last rating for this service was Good (published 12 February 2018).
Why we inspected:
The inspection was prompted in part due to concerns received about people’s care, a range of health and safety matters, training, the quality of food, as well as an allegedly lack of stimulation for people who lived at the home . A decision was made for us to inspect and examine those risks as part of our inspection.
Although no breaches were found we have found evidence that the provider needs to make improvements. This relates to the quality of food, and the storage of care records. We have made recommendations in both these areas.
You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Emerson House.