Preston Short Break Services

Updated 22 November 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 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 service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

This inspection visit took place on 15 August 2017 and was announced. The provider was given 24 hours’ notice of the inspection visit. This was to enable us to speak with people who used the service for short stays and their relatives but were not staying at the service when we inspected.

The inspection team consisted of an adult social care inspector and an expert by experience. An expert by experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of care service. The expert by experience for Preston short break services had experience of services for people with learning disabilities.

Before our inspection on 15 August 2017 we reviewed the information we held on the service. This included notifications we had received from the provider, about incidents that affect the health, safety and welfare of people the service supported. We checked to see if any information concerning the care and welfare of people who were supported had been received.

Some people at Preston Short Break Services had limited verbal communication and were unable to converse with us. However we spoke with seven people who used Preston Short Break services and twelve relatives. We observed staff interactions with people who used the service. We also spoke with the registered manager and five staff members. Prior to our inspection visit we contacted the commissioning department at the local authority. This helped us to gain a balanced overview of what people experienced accessing the service. They had no concerns about the service and were satisfied with the care provided.

During our inspection we used a method called Short Observational Framework for Inspection (SOFI). This involved observing staff interactions with people in their care. SOFI is a specific way of observing care to help us understand the experience of people who could not talk with us.

We looked around the building to ensure it was clean, hygienic and a safe place for people to stay. We looked at care and medicine records of five people and arrangements for meals. We looked at staff rotas to check staffing levels, looked at staff recruitment, and training records and records related to the management of the service. This helped us to gain a balanced overview of what people experienced whilst they used the service.

Updated 22 November 2017

This inspection visit took place on 15 August 2017 and was announced to assist us speaking with people who used the service and their representatives.

Preston Short Break Services can accommodate up to six people with a learning disability and/or a physical disability at any time for a short stay. Showers, bathrooms and four of the bedrooms are designed to meet the needs of people with a physical disability, having specific equipment and overhead tracking. As well as the main kitchen, lounge, dining area and conservatory, there is an area which includes a smaller kitchen with a lounge and dining area, that can be separated from the main part of the building should this better meet people’s needs.

At the last comprehensive inspection on 25 November 2014 the service was rated overall as good.

At this inspection we found the service remained good.

At this inspection visit there were six people staying at the service. Approximately 60 people used the service for short stays throughout the year. There have been occasions where people have stayed for an extended period of time which had reduced the capacity of the service for short stays and had caused some short stays to be cancelled by the service.

As part of the inspection we spoke with seven people who had short stays at Preston Short Break Services and twelve relatives.

People told us staff were caring and helpful. They said they felt safe at Preston Short Break Services and enjoyed going there.

There were procedures in place to protect people from abuse and unsafe care. Staff were familiar with these and had received training in safeguarding adults. We saw risk assessments were in place which provided guidance for staff. These measures minimised risks to people.

Recruitment was safe. There were sufficient staff available to provide people with personal care and social and leisure activities.

Staff received training to support and care for people. They had the skills, knowledge and experience to provide safe and effective support.

Staff managed medicines safely. Medicines were stored securely, administered as prescribed and disposed of appropriately.

The service was clean and hygienic and staff used appropriate protective clothing to reduce the risk of infection to people.

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

People told us they were happy with the variety and choice of meals available to them. Staff knew people’s food likes, dislikes and any health or cultural requirements people had.

Care plans were personalised detailing how people wished to be supported. Their consent and agreement had been sought before providing care.

People who received support or where appropriate their representatives had been involved in making decisions about their care. Where people were unable to make their own decisions independent advocates were available.

People knew how to raise a concern or to make a complaint. The complaints procedure was available in text and easy read formats. People said they were encouraged to raise any concerns.

Senior staff monitored the support staff provided to people. Audits of care and support records and risk assessments were carried out regularly. People were encouraged to give their views informally. They and where appropriate their relatives were invited to complete surveys about the quality of their care.