BNR Manchester

Updated 7 March 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.

Inspection team:

The inspection was carried out by one adult social care inspector from the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

Service and service type:

BNR Manchester provides services to people with learning disabilities and complex physical health needs so that they can live as independently as possible in their own homes.

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.

Notice of inspection:

We gave the service 48 hours’ notice of the inspection visit because it is small and the manager is often out of the office supporting staff or providing care. We needed to be sure that they would be in.

Inspection site visit activity started on 21 January 2019 and ended on 28 January 2019. We visited the office location on 21 and 23 January to see the manager and office staff; and to review care records and policies and procedures. We visited four people in their own homes by arrangement on 28 January 2019 and spoke with people’s relatives on 22 January 2019.

What we did:

Before the inspection visit we reviewed the information we held about the service, including information we had received since the service registered with the Commission. We asked the service to complete the Provider Information Return (PIR), prior to the date of the inspection, which we received. The PIR is a form that asks the provider to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make.

We reviewed the care and medication records of four people who used the service and records relating to the management of the service. We looked at four staff personnel files, policies and procedures and quality assurance systems.

During our inspection we went to the provider’s head office and spoke with the registered manager and one office manager and four members of care staff. We also visited two properties by agreement and spoke with two people who used the service, two relatives and two health and social care professionals as part of the inspection; this was to seek feedback about the quality of service being provided.

Updated 7 March 2019

About the service:

BNR Manchester provides domiciliary services to people living in their own homes and supported living services to people with learning disabilities, autism and complex physical health needs so that they can live as independently as possible in their own homes. People who use the service are tenants in their own right and live with support in various types of accommodation provided by different landlords, or in their own family accommodation.

At the time of the inspection the service was made up of two homes, providing support for four people who live in the Wirral area and who require 24-hour support. The head office is based at the Express Networks building in Manchester.

People’s experience of using this service:

There was a warm and relaxed atmosphere in the properties we visited; a thorough pre-assessment process was undertaken to ensure people who lived in the same property were compatible and transition visits were undertaken prior to people moving in.

People participated in activities that met their individual choices and preferences. People’s independence was promoted, which was confirmed by people we spoke with.

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

People's health needs were well managed and staff had positive links with professionals which promoted wellbeing for people. People were supported to attend their health appointments.

Equality and diversity was promoted and responded to well, and there was no evidence to suggest anyone was discriminated against.

The service supported staff in providing effective care for people through detailed person-centred care planning and people were involved in regular reviews of their care plans.

Staff showed a genuine motivation to deliver care in a person-centred way based on people's preferences and likes and people were observed to have good relationships with the staff team.

The service worked in partnership with the community, other services and organisations. We saw people had multi-disciplinary team meetings to discuss their needs and wishes. People had links with other organisations to access services, such as adult learning courses.

People were encouraged to share their views about what they wanted to achieve and their support was built around these goals to help them achieve them.

People using the service and staff knew each other well and efforts were made by the service to ensure people were supported by the same staff to ensure familiarity and continuity of care provision.

The service met the characteristics of Good in all areas; more information is in the full report.

Rating at last inspection:

The service has not previously been inspected and this was the first inspection undertaken at BNR Manchester since it first registered with the Commission on 03 August 2016.

Why we inspected:

This was an announced, planned comprehensive inspection. The provider was given 48 hours’ notice to ensure managers were available in the Manchester office to facilitate the inspection.

Follow up:

We will continue to monitor this service and plan to inspect in line with our re-inspection schedule for those services rated Good.