North View

Updated 28 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 the inspection

Service and service type

North View 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 Care Quality Commission. 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

Day one of this inspection was unannounced. Day two was announced because it is a small service and we needed to be sure that the registered manager would be available to support the inspection.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service. We sought feedback from the local authority and Healthwatch. Healthwatch is an independent consumer champion that gathers and represents the views of the public about health and social care services in England. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return. This is information providers are required to send us with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. This information helps support our inspections. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with one person who used the service about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with five members of staff including the registered manager, unit manager and support workers. We spent time in communal areas observing care to help us understand the experience of people who could not tell us about their experience.

We reviewed a range of records. This included two people’s care records and multiple medication records. We looked at three staff files in relation to recruitment and staff supervision. A variety of records relating to the management of the service were reviewed.

After the inspection

We looked at training data and quality assurance records. We spoke with three relatives about their experience of the care provided.

Updated 28 September 2019

North View is a residential care home providing personal and nursing care to four people with learning disabilities. The service can support up to six people. The care home accommodates five people in one building and one person in a separate unit.

The service has been developed and designed in line with 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/or autism to live meaningful lives that include control, choice, and independence. People using the service receive planned and co-ordinated person-centred support that is appropriate and inclusive for them.

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

Systems were in place to safeguard people from abuse. There were enough staff to meet people’s needs and the same staff supported people which ensured continuity of care. Risks to people were assessed and managed. Medicines were managed safely although some minor recording issues were noted; these were dealt with promptly. Systems were in place to reduce the risk of the spread of infection.

Staff had the skills and knowledge to deliver care effectively and they received good support from colleagues and the management team. 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. Healthy lifestyles were promoted and systems were in place to make sure people’s health needs were met. The management team said they were going to review the system for menu planning and meal monitoring to make sure they could show people were supported to maintain a balanced diet.

People had a positive experience living at North View and were comfortable in the company of staff who supported them. Staff knew people well and consistently interacted with people in a person-centred way. A high emphasis was placed on supporting people’s family, as well as the person themselves. Staff understood how to provide care which promoted people’s privacy, dignity and independence.

People were involved in the support planning process and encouraged to identify personal goals. Everyone engaged in person-centred activities which included accessing the local and wider community. Care records identified how care should be delivered although some recent guidance was generic and some information was duplicated. Plans were in place to review and streamline the support planning process. The service used innovative approaches which ensured people’s communication needs were met. Systems were in place to deal with formal complaints.

Feedback about the management team was consistently good. The registered manager was well supported by the unit manager.

Quality management systems were in place although some of the issues picked up during the inspection had not been identified by the provider. The management team was responsive and where appropriate took swift action to address shortfalls. They were keen to develop and improve their systems and provide people with quality care.

The service applied 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 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

Rating at last inspection: The last rating for this service was good (published 17 February 2017). Since this rating was awarded the registered provider has altered its legal entity. We have used the previous rating to inform our planning and decisions about the rating at this inspection.

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.