Aroha House Limited

Updated 12 January 2019

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection was planned to check 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 was a comprehensive inspection and was completed on 18 December 2018. We gave the service short notice of the inspection visit because the location provides a supported living service for younger adults who are often out during the day. We needed to be sure that they would be in. The inspection was completed by one adult social care inspector.

Prior to our inspection, we looked at all the information available to us. These included notifications sent by the service, any safeguarding alerts and information sent to us from other sources such as healthcare professionals. A notification is information about important events which the service is required to tell us about by law.

We also reviewed the service's Provider Information Return (PIR). This is a form that is completed at least annually. It asks the provider to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. During the inspection we spoke with four people. We spoke in depth to the registered manager and three care staff. We received feedback from one independent advocate.

We looked at three care files including risk assessments, care plans and daily records. We reviewed medicines records, three recruitment records and a variety of records relating to the auditing of the environment and quality of care.

Updated 12 January 2019

Care service description

Aroha House is a supported living service for five people with learning disabilities. It is in a residential area in Exeter. People are supported to be independent and take part in activities within the community. People who use the service are supported with some aspects of personal care. People's care and housing are provided under separate contractual agreements. CQC does not regulate the premises used for supported living; this inspection only looked at those people's personal care and support.

The care service has been developed and designed in line with the values that underpin the Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. These values include choice, promotion of independence and inclusion. People with learning disabilities and autism using the service can live as ordinary a life as any

citizen.

Rating at last inspection

At our last inspection we rated the service good. At this inspection we found the evidence continued to support the rating of good and there was no evidence or information from our inspection and ongoing monitoring that demonstrated serious risks or concerns. This inspection report is written in a shorter format because our overall rating of the service has not changed since our last inspection.

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Why the service is rated Good.

People were supported by a staff group who knew them well, understood their needs and wishes and worked in a way that ensured a person-centred approach. Staff were skilled in understanding people’s complex needs and individual ways of communicating.

Staff received good training and support to enable them to deliver safe and effective care and support. There were always sufficient staff to meet people’s needs. The staff worked flexibly to enable people to enjoy a variety of outings and social events. This including the provider running some social groups for people with learning disabilities as there were limited activities available for people to have opportunities to meet up with their friends in a safe environment.

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.

Staff understood about abuse and who to report any concerns to. People were protected as the provider had a robust recruitment process which ensured only staff who were suitable to work with vulnerable people were employed.

People’s healthcare was carefully monitored and the service worked in conjunction with health care professionals to ensure people’s healthcare needs were being well met. Risks were managed well and reviewed on a regular basis.

Each person had their own care plan which was written in a format they could understand, with pictures and symbols where needed. Plans detailed what people enjoyed doing and what staff needed to know to help them stay well and safe. This included ensuring people had a healthy balanced diet.

People enjoyed a wide variety of activities which suited their individual needs and considered their diversity.

Staff supported people in a caring and compassionate way. They celebrated people’s individuality and personal achievements. There was a great deal of warm and caring interactions, showing staff and people had strong bonds.

There were effective systems in place to review the quality of care and ensure people’s safety.

Further information is in the detailed findings below