Archived: Apsley House

Updated 6 January 2018

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.

The inspection took place on 29 November 2017 .We gave the service 48 hours’ notice of the inspection visit in line with CQC policy because this is a small home and the manager is often out of the office supporting staff or providing care. We needed to be sure that they would be somebody present during the inspection.

The inspection team consisted of one adult social care inspector and an inspection manager.

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 the service does well and which improvements they plan to make. We checked the information we held about the service and the service provider. This included statutory notifications sent to us by the registered manager about incidents and events that had occurred at the service. A notification is information about events which the service is required to send us by law. We used this information to decide which areas to focus on during our inspection. We contacted the local Healthwatch organisation and the Local Authority Commissioning team to obtain their views about the provider. No concerns were raised about the service provided at Apsley House.

During the inspection we spoke to two people who used the service, two managers in day to day charge of the service, two staff members, four relatives and two health care professionals who regularly visited the service.

We looked at care records and medication records for all five people who used the service. We also reviewed a range of records relating to how the service was managed, including three staff personnel files, staff training records, health and safety procedures, policies and procedures and quality assurance audits.

Updated 6 January 2018

Apsley House is a large end of terrace property located near the centre of Heywood. It is part of a larger organisation, Wellesley House Limited. Apsley House is registered to provide accommodation and personal care for up to five people with a learning disability / autistic spectrum disorder. On the day of the inspection five people were living at Apsley House.

The service had a registered manager. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Like registered providers, they are 'registered persons'. Registered persons have a legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

This was an announced inspection which was carried out on the 29 November 2017.

The registered manager visited Apsley House one day per week. There was a day to day manager on site five days per week. There was a manager available by telephone at all times.

People told us that they felt safe at Apsley House. The service used the local authority safeguarding procedures to report any concerns. Staff had received training in safeguarding adults and were aware of their responsibilities to report any possible abuse.

A robust system for staff recruitment, induction and training was in place. This enabled the staff to support people effectively and safely.

Systems were in place to administer and store medication safely. Staff had been trained in the administration of medicines and had up to date policies and procedures to follow.

The home was clean, tidy and homely in character. There were systems in place to prevent the spread of infection. Staff were trained in infection control.

Electrical and gas appliances were serviced regularly. Each person had a personal emergency evacuation plan (PEEP) and there was a business plan for any unforeseen emergencies.

People who used the service were able to make choices about the activities that they wanted to do. They were involved in reviewing their action plans and setting goals. Person centred care plans and risk assessments were in place which enabled staff to support people with making choices.

The managers and staff demonstrated a good understanding of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS). The MCA and DoLS provide legal safeguards for people who are unable to make their own decisions.

We observed meaningful interactions between staff and the people who used the service. The people we talked to spoke positively about the staff. Staff demonstrated a clear understanding of people’s needs.

Effective quality assurance audits were in place to monitor the service. The service sought feedback from the people who lived there and their relatives. Staff had regular supervisions and were invited to team meetings. Staff told us that they enjoyed working at the service and felt that they were listened to by the managers.

The service had been developed and designed in line with the principles that underpin the Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance, these values include choice, promotion of independence and inclusion. This policy asserts that people with learning disabilities and autism using a service should live as ordinary a life as any citizen. This policy can be found on the Care Quality Commission website.