United Response - 29 Mayfair Avenue

Updated 13 June 2019

The inspection:

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (the Act) as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection was planned to check whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Act, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

Notice of inspection and inspection team:

This inspection was unannounced and carried out by one inspector.

Service and service type:

This service 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 service provides personal care to older people some of whom have learning disabilities and autism. The care service has been developed and designed in line with the values that underpin the Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. These values include 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 service had a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. This means that they and the provider are legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided. The provider had registered this manager to manager their two services.

What we did:

Before the inspection, we looked at information we held about the service, including notifications they had made to us about important events. We asked the service to complete a Provider Information Return (PIR). This is information we require providers to send us at least once annually to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make.

During the inspection, we spoke with two people who used the service, one relative, the registered manager, senior support worker and two staff members working for the service. We reviewed two people’s care records, three staff files, training and medicine records, quality assurance reports and other relevant documents relating to the service. After our inspection, we received feedback from one healthcare professional.

Updated 13 June 2019

About the service:

United Response - 29 Mayfair Avenue is a residential care home that provides personal care and accommodation for up to four older people some of whom have learning disabilities

and autism. At the time of this inspection two people were using the service.

People's experience of using this service:

• The service was not consistently well-led. There were no robust quality assurance processes in place for the registered manager to monitor the quality of the services provided for people, including accuracy of care records and staff's training needs. We made a recommendation about this.

• Although staff were not supported to update their knowledge and skills in all areas required for their role, the registered manager took immediate action to address this.

• People’s communication aids required updating which the management team agreed to implement immediately.

• Care plans provided guidance for staff on how to mitigate the potential risks to people but more information was required on what were the specific risks to people and how it impacted on people.

• Staff undertook appropriate checks before they were employed by the service.

• People received the necessary support to manage their medicines safely.

• Staff followed provider’s procedures if they noticed people being at risk to harm or when incidents and accidents took place.

• The staff team were trained and applied the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) principles in practice as necessary.

• Staff assisted people with preparation of their meals or to attend their health appointments when necessary.

• Confidentiality principles were followed to ensure safe keeping of people’s personal information.

• People were treated with dignity, kindness and staff were respectful towards people’s privacy.

• Staff were aware of people’ communication needs and used verbal and body language to have conversations with them.

• Staff encouraged people to make decisions about their daily activities.

• Care plans were person-centred and individualised.

• People were encouraged to make complaints which were addressed accordingly.

• Staff planned to have conversations with people about their end of their lives wishes.

• Staff felt that the registered manager was responsive and guided them well.

• There were shared responsibilities between the staff team to ensure good care delivery for people.

Rating at last inspection:

This was the first inspection of the service after they changed their provider from Richmond Homes and Lifestyle Trust to United Response in May 2018. At the last inspection on 22 March 2016, the service was given an overall rating of Good with requires improvement in well-led.

Why we inspected:

This inspection was part of our scheduled plan of visiting services to check the safety and quality of care people received.

Follow up:

We will continue to monitor the service to ensure that people receive safe, compassionate, high quality care. Further inspection will be planned in line with our re-inspection programme. If any concerning information is received, we may inspect the service sooner.

For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk