16 Balnacraig Avenue (The Leaves)

Updated 3 October 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. 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 Care Act 2014.

Inspection team

The inspection was carried out by one inspector.

Service and service type

16 Balnacraig Avenue (The Leaves) is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as single package under one contractual agreement. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

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

This inspection was unannounced.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. This information included, the last inspection report and records of statutory notifications that the provider had sent to us. Statutory notifications include information about important events which the provider is required to send us by law. We also used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return (PIR). This is information providers are required to send us with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. This information helps support our inspections. We used all this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection:

During the inspection we spoke with three relatives. We spoke with two care staff, the deputy manager, the registered manager and the operation manager.

We reviewed a range of records. This included two people’s care records and medicines administration records. We looked at four staff files in relation to recruitment and staff supervision. A variety of records relating to the management of the of the service, including policies and procedures were reviewed.

After the inspection:

We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found. We looked at training information and data, meeting minutes and quality assurance records.

Updated 3 October 2019

16 Balnacraig Avenue (The Leaves) is care home providing accommodation and personal care to people with learning disabilities, autism and other cognitive deficits. 16 Balnacraig Avenue (The Leaves) is registered to provide care and support for seven people. During our inspection six people were using the service.

The service has been developed and designed in line with the principles and values that underpin Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. This ensures that people who use the service can live as full a life as possible and achieve the best possible outcomes. The principles reflect the need for people with learning disabilities and/or autism to live meaningful lives that include control, choice, and independence. People using the service receive planned and co-ordinated person-centred support that is appropriate and inclusive for them.

The outcomes for people using the service reflected the principles and values of Registering the Right Support by promoting choice and control, independence and inclusion. People's support focused on them having as many opportunities as possible for them to gain new skills and become more independent.

The Secretary of State has asked the Care Quality Commission (CQC) to conduct a thematic review and to make recommendations about the use of restrictive interventions in settings that provide care for people with or who might have mental health problems, learning disabilities and/or autism. Thematic reviews look in-depth at specific issues concerning quality of care across the health and social care sectors. They expand our understanding of both good and poor practice and of the potential drivers of improvement.

As part of thematic review, we carried out a survey with the registered manager at this inspection. This considered whether the service used any restrictive intervention practices (restraint, seclusion and segregation) when supporting people.

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

Relatives told us that people were safe. People were at the centre of their care and support; care plans enabled people to maintain their independence. Care records were detailed and reflected people’s preferences and needs. Staff knew what action to take to protect people from the risk of abuse. People’s medicines were managed safely.

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their life and they were supported in the least restrictive way possible. Risk assessments had been developed to minimise the potential risk of harm to people during the delivery of their care. These had been kept under review and were relevant to the care provided.

The staff spoken with respected and understood a person's right to privacy and promoted their independence. Relatives told us the staff were kind and caring.

Staff demonstrated an interest in their role and the people they supported. It was evident by what we observed during both days of our inspection and reflected in the comment’s relatives made that the care provided was centred on the individual. People who used the service had complex needs and were not able to express themselves verbally. Staff had a sound understanding of people’s different communication needs and ways they made themselves heard by them.

We observed people who used the service to be relaxed and appeared comfortable with the staff supporting them.

People's nutritional needs were met, and people were provided with a varied, healthy and culturally appropriate choice of meals. Advice on diet choices to maintain their health and well-being was sought from external health care professionals and followed by staff.

There was a complaints procedure which was made available to people. The provider's governance arrangements were effective in assessing and monitoring the quality of the service and driving improvements.

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

Rating at last inspection (and update)

The last rating for this service was Good (published 3 August 2017).

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.