Background to this inspection
Updated
14 December 2021
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.
As part of this inspection we looked at the infection control and prevention measures in place. This was conducted so we can understand the preparedness of the service in preventing or managing an infection outbreak, and to identify good practice we can share with other services.
Inspection team
The inspection was carried out by two inspectors.
Service and service type
St Anthony’s is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as a 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
This inspection was unannounced.
What we did before the inspection
We reviewed all information we held about the service. This included the report from our registration team when the provider and manager changed, feedback received from our partner agencies, and statutory notifications that had been submitted. Notifications are changes, events and incidents that the service must inform us about.
The provider was not asked to complete a provider information return prior to 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 used all of this information to plan our inspection.
During the inspection
We met with all the five people who used the service and spoke individually with three of them. We spoke with three members of staff, including the registered manager. We reviewed a range of records. This included the care plans for two people and documents relating to medicines. We looked at three staff files in relation to recruitment and staff supervision. Records relating to the safety and management of the service, including incidents and accidents and audits were also reviewed.
After the inspection
We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found. We looked at training data and quality assurance records. We spoke on the telephone with the relative of person living at St Anthony’s and a professional advocate who had regular contact with two people. We received written feedback from the family of another person who lived at the service. We also spoke with a provider representative to gain a view of how the service had integrated with the other part of the organisation.
Updated
14 December 2021
About the service
St Anthony’s Care Home (St Anthony’s) provides accommodation and personal care for people with a learning disability and autistic people. The service is registered to support up to five people and was fully occupied at the time of our inspection.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
There were good systems in place to keep people safe. People were safeguarded from the risk of abuse or avoidable harm. Staff had appropriately assessed risks and took action to protect people.
People were supported by a committed team of staff who knew them well. Appropriate steps were taken to ensure staff were suitably vetted prior to appointment. Training was ongoing to ensure staff had the skills and experience to support people effectively.
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.
We expect health and social care providers to guarantee autistic people and people with a learning disability the choices, dignity, independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted. Right Support, right care, right culture is the statutory guidance which supports CQC to make assessments and judgements about services providing support to people with a learning disability and/or autistic people.
The service was able to demonstrate how they were meeting the underpinning principles of Right support, right care, right culture.
Right support:
• Model of care and setting maximises people’s choice, control and independence
People were actively supported to pursue their interests and to develop the skills to lead independent and fulfilling lives. Staff had a good understanding of people’s individual support needs and empowered people to achieve their own aspirations.
Right care:
• Care is person-centred and promotes people’s dignity, privacy and human rights
People received personalised care that was responsive to their changing needs and expectations. Staff were knowledgeable about people’s emotional needs, understood the link between their anxiety and behaviours and supported people well when they needed it.
Right culture:
• Ethos, values, attitudes and behaviours of leaders and care staff ensure people using services lead confident, inclusive and empowered lives
People were at the heart of the service with staff providing a network of support around them. The culture of the service was open and transparent with staff and managers working with people as equal partners in their care.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk
Rating at last inspection
This was the first inspection for this service since the changes in its registration on 28 August 2020. The last rating for the service under the previous provider was good, published on 19 June 2019.
Why we inspected
This was a planned inspection to provide a rating for the service following its re-registration.
We looked at infection prevention and control measures under the Safe key question. We look at this in all care home inspections even if no concerns or risks have been identified. This is to provide assurance that the service can respond to COVID-19 and other infection outbreaks effectively.
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.