This inspection took place on the 20 January 2015 and was unannounced.
Barclay Street provides residential care for 7 people with a learning disability and/or autistic spectrum disorder. At the time of our inspection there were 7 people in residence.
There was a registered manager in post. 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.
Staff were confident that if they had any concerns about people’s safety, health or welfare then they would know what action to take, which would include reporting their concerns to the registered manager or to external agencies.
Staff had received training which reflected the needs of people who used the service and enabled them to provide care in a safe manner. This included supporting people when their behaviour became challenging and also through the appropriate use of equipment and techniques to move people safely. We found people received their medication in a timely and safe manner by staff who had been trained in the administration of medication.
We saw people accessing a range of community activities independently or with the support of staff. People’s needs had been risk assessed to promote their safety and independence. We saw there were sufficient staff to support people’s individual needs.
Our discussions with staff told us that they received on going support and development through supervision, appraisal and training. The training staff accessed reflected the needs of people who used the service which meant people received effective care and support.
People were protected under the Mental Capacity Act (MCA) 2005 and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS). We found that appropriate referrals had been made where people were thought to not have capacity to make decisions and had restrictions placed upon them. Staff spoke about their role in supporting people to maintain control and make decisions which affected their day to day lives. They told us how this was a key part of their role when supporting people.
People at risk of poor nutrition and hydration had assessments and plans of care in place for the promotion of their health and well-being. Some people were involved in menu planning and the preparation and cooking of meals. We saw people being offered a choice of options to eat at breakfast and lunch time and drinks and snacks were served regularly throughout the day.
People’s health and welfare was promoted and they were referred to relevant health care professionals in a timely manner to meet their health needs. Information gathered from a visiting professional and our observations showed there to be a positive working relationship between professionals and the service, which positively impacted on the quality of care people received.
We observed positive and supportive relationships between people who used the service and staff. People were comfortable and relaxed in the company of staff and shared laughter and conversation with them. We noted staff supported people in a timely manner, which included supporting them when they became anxious. We observed people being encouraged to make decisions about their day and records showed people’s comments and views were documented in daily records and within the minutes of meetings.
Visiting professionals who provided us with information told us that they found the staff of the service to be caring and supportive and receptive to the needs of people in their care.
People were supported by staff who were responsive to their needs and requests for support including accessing the community, shopping and attending college. People who remained at the service were supported to take part in their interests with the support of staff. Relationships between people using the service and their relatives and friends were promoted by staff who supported them in visiting people and by encouraging visitors to the service.
People we spoke with were confident that any concerns they had would be responded to appropriately. Records showed that the service within the last twelve months had not received any complaints, however they had received compliments about the service they provided.
People who used the service, their relatives, staff working at the service and visiting professionals were complimentary about the registered manager saying they were confident to speak with them and found them to be approachable.
There were effective systems in place for the maintenance of the building and equipment which ensured people lived in an environment that was well maintained and safe. Audits and checks were effectively used to ensure people’s safety and needs were being met, as well as improvements being made as required
People using the service and staff had the opportunity to influence the service by attending meetings and sharing their views, which enabled the provider to review and develop the service. Although the provider sought the views of relatives they had identified that seeking the views of people who use the service was an area for further development and improvement.