Archived: Care Management Group - 72-74 Walsingham Road

Updated 12 May 2016

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. The inspection checked 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 home and to provide a rating for the home under the Care Act 2014.

The inspection was carried out on 22 March 2016 and was unannounced. It was carried out by an inspector and an expert by experience.

Before the inspection the provider completed a Provider Information Return (PIR). This is a form that asks the provider to give some key information about the service, what they do well and improvements they plan to make. It included information about notifications. Notifications are changes, events or incidents that the home must inform us about.

During the inspection we spent time with people who lived at the service. We spent time in the lounge, kitchen, conservatory and people’s own rooms when we were invited to do so. We took time to observe how people and staff interacted.

We spoke with the relatives and friends of people. We gained the views of staff and spoke with the registered manager, deputy manager and three support workers.

We contacted selected stakeholders, including two health and social care professionals, the local authority and the local GP surgery to obtain their views about the care provided. They were happy for us to quote them in our report.

We looked at three support plans and two staff files and staff training records. We looked at records that related to how the service was managed that included quality monitoring documentation, records of medicine administration and documents relating to the maintenance of the environment.

The last inspection was carried out on 16 July 2014 and no concerns were identified.

Updated 12 May 2016

We inspected Care Management Group - 72-74 Walsingham Road on the 22 March 2016. The service provided accommodation and support to people living in a residential area of Brighton. The service supported seven people, all aged over 40 years. It provided 24 hour support for adults with learning disabilities, mental health and complex health needs. Care Management Group services include providing residential care, supported living and day services at locations across the south of England and Wales.

The service had a registered manager. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the CQC 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.

There were concerns over how the provider responded to maintenance issues of some areas of the service, compromising safety and infection control measures. We identified this as an area that required further improvement.

People at the service told us that they felt safe. One person said, “I feel very safe, like when I take a shower and they support me not to slip in the shower, but I’m independent.” There were safeguarding policies and procedures in place that were followed and staff were fully aware of their responsibilities in reporting safeguarding incidents. The provider had a whistleblowing policy in place and staff told us they knew how to use it if they needed to.

People’s needs were assessed and their support plans provided staff with guidance about how they wanted their individual needs to be met. Plans we looked at placed the person at the centre of all planning and contained the necessary risk assessments to keep people safe. They were regularly reviewed and amended to ensure they reflected people’s changing support needs.

Essential training was up to date for all staff. Staff had received training specific to people’s support needs, including specific health conditions. People told us they felt the staff were well trained and able to meet their needs. A healthcare professional commented “Staff are well trained, the provider has a clear commitment to training and there is a good level of knowledge about the people”.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) monitors the operation of the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) which applies to care homes and how DoLS is assessed and authorised in other settings such as supported living or people’s own homes. The registered manager and staff had a clear understanding of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards. Staff had received training on Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards and the Mental Capacity Act 2005. Support plans showed that people’s capacity was taken into account and how this affected the support they received.

People had access to GPs and other health care professionals. Prompt referrals were made to health care professionals. One person told us, “I see my doctor when I need to.” We sought feedback from health care professionals. They were positive about the service and staff responsiveness, one health care professional said, “Staff are welcoming and receptive to any feedback.”

People were encouraged to be as independent as possible. People were able to participate in activities of their choice. People were encouraged to take responsibility for their activities of daily living. For example, some people did their own laundry and cooking. One person told us, “I like living here because I do lots of things: cooking, shopping, trips, church, seaside.”

People were supported to remain in regular contact with families and friends. There was open communication between family members and the service. The provider had carried out quality assurance surveys with relatives.

There was an easy read complaints procedure in place. People and their relatives told us they knew how to complain and were confident in doing so.

The provider had systems and processes in place to audit and monitor the quality of the service. Issues identified for development were recorded and an action plan put in place.

Staff were positive about the registered manager and the support they provided. The registered manager responded to staff suggestions and requests. A member of staff said, “[The registered and deputy manager] are very approachable. I’m happy to talk with them or can call them if I need to.”