Gainford House

Updated 1 October 2021

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

The inspection

This was a comprehensive inspection.

As part of this inspection we looked at the infection control and prevention measures in place. This was conducted so we can understand the preparedness of the service in preventing or managing an infection outbreak, and to identify good practice we can share with other services.

Inspection team

The inspection team was made up of one inspector.

Service and service type

Gainford House provides care and support to people living in 10 ‘supported living’ settings, so that they can live as independently as possible. People’s care and housing are provided under separate contractual agreements. CQC does not regulate premises used for supported living; this inspection looked at people’s personal care and support.

The service had a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. This means the registered manager and the registered provider are legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided.

Notice of inspection

This was an unannounced inspection.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service. We also sought feedback from partner agencies and healthcare professionals. These included the local authority’s contracts and commissioning services.

We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return. This is information providers are required to send us with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. This information helps support our inspections.

During the inspection

We spoke with two people using the service in their own apartments and met with two other people in communal areas of the service. We spoke with registered manager, deputy manager and three members of support staff. We also spoke with a visiting social worker.

We carried out checks on the environment and equipment. We reviewed a range of records including audits carried out by senior staff. We looked at the governance arrangements for the safe handling of medicines including the provider's policy and audits. We looked at medicine’s records for two people and care records for two people. We also viewed staff records relating to recruitment and staff training and supervision records.

After the inspection

We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found. We looked at records relating to safety, care records, quality and staffing which the registered manager sent to us electronically. We spoke with a relative and a healthcare professional by telephone to gain their views of the service.

Updated 1 October 2021

About the service

Gainford House provides personal care to people living in their own apartment on a purpose built site in Hartlepool. At the time of our inspection there were 10 people living with a learning disability and/or a mental health related condition receiving a regulated activity from the service.

Not everyone using Gainford House receives a regulated activity; CQC only inspects the service being received by people provided with ‘personal care’ which includes help with washing, dressing and eating.

People’s experience of using this service and what we found

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives. Staff supported people in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests. .

People were safeguarded from the risks of abuse by staff who were trained in safeguarding and were able to raise concerns. People’s personal risks were well managed. Medicines were managed in a safe manner. Staff supported people to keep their apartments and communal areas clean.

Staffing was provided by a well trained and supported team that met the needs of people using the service. Recruitment procedures were robust.

Records relating to people's support were in a period of transition to a new format but they clearly stated how people wished their support to be provided.

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.

The service was able to demonstrate how they were meeting the underpinning principles of Right support, right care, right culture in some of the individual supported living services.

Right support:

• People we spoke with told us they were enabled to learn new skills by staff who motivated and supported them.

• Professionals and relatives we spoke with told us they were very happy with the support provided. One relative told us, "[Name] has come on leaps and bounds, [Name] is a different person now."

Right Care

• People were given choices by staff and were supported to pursue their individual likes and interests. People were treated with dignity and respect.

• People told us they were helped and encouraged to maintain relationships that were important to them, whether this was friends, family or other professionals or services that supported them.

Right culture:

• The registered manager of the service demonstrated they had the right values and ethos to lead a supported living service. They were enabled to do this with a robust system of audits and quality checks.

• People and staff we spoke with said that managers were always available, were supportive and listened to them.

Based on our review of the key questions of safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led, the service was able to demonstrate how they were meeting the underpinning principles of Right support, right care, right culture.

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

Rating at last inspection

This service was registered with us on 24/05/2019 and this is the first inspection.

Why we inspected

We carried out a comprehensive inspection to give this service a rating.

We looked at infection prevention and control measures under the Safe key question. We look at this in all care home inspections even if no concerns or risks have been identified. This is to provide assurance that the service can respond to COVID-19 and other infection outbreaks effectively.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.