26 November 2019
During a routine inspection
Homefield View provides residential care and support to people with learning disabilities in the further education sector. The service can support six people. Six young adults were using the service at the time of inspection. Everyone using the service attends college during the day. Some people return to their family homes at weekends and in college holidays.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
There were some areas where processes needed to be strengthened and the registered manager was already working on these. These included effective processes for management oversight of the quality assurance system, embedding a schedule of regular team meetings and staff supervision sessions and ensuring that care files contained all assessments, for example, those relating to mental capacity decisions.
People were cared for safely. A range of individual risk assessments were in place to reduce known risks to people. Staff understood safeguarding procedures. Safe recruitment practices were followed to ensure staff were suitable for their roles.
There were enough staff to meet people’s care needs. People were supported with their medicines. The service was clean and fresh, all staff had been trained in infection control.
People’s care records contained information covering all aspects of their care and support needs. Staff had a good understanding of people’s needs and individual preferences. People’s personal histories, preferences and dislikes, diversity needs such as cultural or religious needs and links with family were all considered within the care plans. Staff received training to meet people’s needs.
Where required, people were supported with their eating and drinking to ensure their dietary requirements were met. People were supported to access health care services when needed.
People received support from reliable, compassionate staff. Staff enjoyed working at the service and there was good communication and team work. Staff were caring in their approach and had good relationships with people. People were treated with respect. Staff maintained people’s dignity and promoted their independence. Consent was sought, and staff took time to help people communicate their wishes using their preferred means.
The registered manager worked in an open and transparent way and was passionate about ensuring that people received good care. The service was in regular communication with relatives. People and their relatives knew how to make a complaint and were confident that any issues raised would be dealt with.
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.
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.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk
The last rating for this service was Good (published July 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.