Archived: 54 Cowden Road

Updated 24 March 2017

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

The inspection was carried out by one inspector on 8 February 2017 and was unannounced. Prior to the inspection we reviewed the information we held about the service and the provider. This included notifications received from the provider about deaths, accidents and safeguarding concerns. A notification is information about important events that the provider is required to send us by law. We also contacted the local authority responsible for monitoring the quality of the service and other health and social care professionals to obtain their views. We used this information to help inform our inspection.

There were five people using the service at the time of our inspection and we met with three people living at the service. During our inspection we spoke with three people using the service and observed people as they engaged with staff and completed their day-to-day tasks and activities. We looked at the care plans and records for two people using the service and spoke with four members of staff including the area manager.

As part of our inspection we looked at records and reviewed information given to us by the area manager and members of staff. We looked at records for people using the service and records related to the management of the service. We also looked at areas of the building including communal areas and external grounds.

Updated 24 March 2017

This inspection took place on 8 February 2017 and was unannounced. At the last inspection of the service on 21 July 2016 we found breaches of regulations of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 in that the provider did not operate effective systems to monitor and mitigate risks to people because medicines audits did not identity concerns that we found at our previous inspection, nor highlight that staff were overdue medicines competency assessments. We also found a breach of the CQC (Registration) Regulations 2009 in respect of notifying the CQC of other incidents. This meant the provider failed to send notification to the Care Quality Commission as required. We carried out this inspection to check the outstanding breaches had been met and also to provide a review of the rating for the service.

54 Cowden Road is a small residential care home providing support for up to five adults with learning disabilities. At the time of our inspection there were five people using the service. There was a registered manager in post at the time of our inspection. 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.

At this inspection we found the provider had made the required improvements and was now compliant with the requirements of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014.

Risks to the health and safety of people using the service were assessed and reviewed in line with the provider's policy. Medicines were managed, administered and stored safely. There were arrangements in place to deal with foreseeable emergencies and there were safeguarding adult’s policies and procedures in place. Accidents and incidents were recorded and acted on appropriately. There were safe staff recruitment practices in place and appropriate numbers of staff to meet people’s needs.

There were processes in place to ensure staff new to the home were inducted into the service appropriately and staff received training, supervision and appraisals. There were systems in place which ensured the service complied with the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA 2005). This provides protection for people who do not have capacity to make decisions for themselves. People’s nutritional needs and preferences were met and people had access to health and social care professionals when required.

People were treated with respect and were consulted about their care and support needs. People’s support needs and risks were identified, assessed and documented within their care plan. People were provided with information on how to make a complaint. There were systems and processes in place to monitor and evaluate the service provided. People using the service and their relatives were asked for their views about the service.