NEAS, Short Term Residential Breaks

Updated 6 May 2023

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. 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 Health and Social Care Act 2008.

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 consisted of 1 inspector and an Expert by Experience, who made phone calls to relatives following the inspection. An Expert by Experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of care service.

Service and service type

NEAS Short Term Residential Breaks is a ‘care home’ where people stay for short breaks. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing and/or personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement dependent on their registration with us. NEAS Short Term Residential Breaks is a care home without nursing care. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

Registered Manager

This provider is required to have a registered manager to oversee the delivery of regulated activities at this location. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Registered managers and providers are legally responsible for how the service is run, for the quality and safety of the care provided and compliance with regulations.

At the time of our inspection there was a registered manager in post.

Notice of inspection

This inspection was unannounced. We visited the service on 14 and 17 March 2023.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We sought feedback from the local authority and professionals who work with the service. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return (PIR). This is information providers are required to send us annually with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. We used all this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with 6 people and 1 relative about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with 9 staff including the acting manager, assistant manager, the provider’s operations manager, 1 team leader and 5 support workers. We observed how people were cared for.

We reviewed a range of records which included 3 people's care records, 6 people’s medicine records, daily records and risk assessments. We looked at 3 staff recruitment records and a variety of records relating to the management of the service, including audits, policies and procedures.

The Expert by Experience spoke to 1 person who used the service and 13 relatives via telephone on 22 March 2023.

Updated 6 May 2023

About the service

NEAS Short Term Residential Breaks provides personal care to up to 23 autistic people and/or people with learning disabilities. People use the service for short term breaks and stay in 6 purpose-built lodges in a rural setting. At the time of our inspection 11 people were using the service.

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

We expect health and social care providers to guarantee people with a learning disability and autistic people respect, equality, dignity, choices and independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted. ‘Right support, right care, right culture’ is the guidance CQC follows to make assessments and judgements about services supporting people with a learning disability and autistic people and providers must have regard to it.

Right support

Staff focused on people's strengths and promoted what they could do, so people had an enjoyable stay when they came to the service. Staff supported people to take part in activities and pursue their interests in the local area. People were supported in a safe and clean environment that met their sensory and physical needs. Staff supported people to make decisions following best practice in decision-making.

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

Right care

People received kind and compassionate care. Staff protected and respected people's privacy and dignity. They understood and responded to their individual needs. People received care that supported their needs and aspirations, was focused on their quality of life, and followed best practice. Staff and people co-operated to assess risks people might face. Where appropriate, staff encouraged and enabled people to take positive risks. The service had enough appropriately skilled staff to meet people’s needs and keep them safe.

Right culture

People were empowered during their stay because of the ethos, values, attitudes and behaviours of the management team and staff. People were supported by staff who understood best practice in relation to the wide range of strengths, impairments or sensitivities people with a learning disability and/or autistic people may have. This meant people received compassionate and empowering care that was tailored to their needs. Staff placed people’s wishes, needs and rights at the heart of everything they did.

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

Rating at last inspection

The last rating for this service was good (published 19 December 2017).

Why we inspected

This inspection was prompted by a review of the information we held about this service.

For those key questions not inspected, we used the ratings awarded at the last comprehensive inspection (report published 19 December 2017) to calculate the overall rating.

You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the 'all reports' link for NEAS Short Term Residential Breaks on our website at www.cqc.org.uk

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, which will help inform when we next inspect.