Archived: 374-376 Winchester Road

Updated 10 September 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

One inspector carried out this inspection.

Service and service type

374-376 Winchester Road 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 CQC. 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 did not prompt the provider to complete a provider information return before this inspection. This is information we require providers to send us to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We took this into account when we inspected the service and made the judgements in this report.

We reviewed other information we had about the service, including notifications by the provider about significant events that happen during the running of a service, and information from the local authority and service commissioners. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spent time with people who used the service who did not use verbal communication. We spoke with the registered manager, an area manager, a regional manager by telephone and two members of staff.

We reviewed a range of records. This included people’s care records and medication records. We looked at staff files in relation to recruitment and staff supervision. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies, procedures and written feedback from people’s families were reviewed.

After the inspection

We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found. We looked at training and other records sent to us by the provider. We spoke by telephone with a family member of one of the people living at the home.

Updated 10 September 2019

About the service

374-376 Winchester Road is a residential care home providing personal care to six people at the time of the inspection. The service can support up to eight people with a learning disability or autism in two houses which have been joined by a single storey extension.

Within limits arising from previous adaptations to the building, the service has been developed and designed in line with some of 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 autism to live meaningful lives that include control, choice, and independence. People using the service received planned and co-ordinated person-centred support that was appropriate and inclusive for them.

The service was registered for the support of up to eight people in two linked houses. This is in line with current best practice guidance. However, some of the adaptations made did not contribute to a home-like feel.

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

We have identified improvements needed to protect people from risks and make sure they receive care and support in a safe way. These include improvements in the areas of cleanliness, hygiene and infection control, record keeping around medicines, achieving a balance of permanent and agency staff, and notifying us when certain events occur. The registered manager took steps to address some of these concerns during the inspection. There were plans in place to address other concerns.

We have identified improvements needed with respect to the decoration, refurbishment and adaptation of the home to meet people’s needs. Some of these were already known to the provider with plans in place to resolve them.

We have identified improvements needed to make sure concerns identified by the registered manager and the provider’s quality processes are acted on in a timely fashion to sustain the quality of people’s care and support. The provider had put in place a new management team at the area and regional level which had started to show more support for the registered manager.

There were positive, caring relationships between staff and people they supported. Staff promoted and respected people’s dignity, privacy and independence, giving them opportunities to take part in decisions about their care.

People had care and support which met their needs and respected their choices and preferences. The provider complied with the legal standard for supporting people with communication needs arising from a disability or sensory impairment. People had access to a range of appropriate activities which sustained their wellbeing.

The service did not always apply the principles and values of Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. These ensure that people who use the service can live as full a life as possible and achieve the best possible outcomes that include control, choice and independence.

The outcomes for most people using the service reflected the principles and values of Registering the Right Support by promoting choice and control, independence and inclusion. Most people were supported to have 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. However maintenance of the home had not sustained a home-like atmosphere.

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 (report published 29 March 2017).

This service has been rated requires improvement for two of the last three inspections.

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating. The inspection was prompted in part due to concerns received about cleanliness, hygiene and infection control at the home. A decision was made for us to bring forward the planned inspection and examine those risks.

We have found evidence that the provider needs to make improvements. Please see the safe, effective and well led sections of this full report.

Follow up

We will request an action plan from the provider to understand what they will do to improve and sustain the standards of quality and safety. 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.