Ms June Dunne - 26 Huntly Road

The service provides accommodation and personal care for a maximum of three people with learning disabilities. At the time of our inspection, there were two people using the service.

This was an announced inspection which took place on 13 August 2018. The last inspection was in January 2016 when the service was rated 'Good'.

26 Huntly Road is a 'care home'. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as single package under one contractual agreement. The Care Quality Commission (CQC) regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

The service had a manager in post who both owned and resided at the premises. A 'registered' manager is not required for this service as the service was managed by the owner (provider).

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.

Care records contained detailed information to identify people's requirements and preferences in relation to their care. People had a choice in how they lived their lives at the home. Risks were appropriately assessed and documented in care records.

Accidents and incidents were recorded and managed appropriately.

There were enough staff to meet the needs of the people living at the home. Care was provided on a one to one basis.

We found that staff's suitability to work with vulnerable adults at the home had been checked prior to employment. For instance, previous employer references had been sought and a criminal conviction check undertaken.

Appropriate arrangements were in place for checking the environment was safe. There were external contracts in place to check the safety of gas, electric and fire equipment.

Medication was managed safely and was administered by staff who were competent to do so.

Staff had received training which equipped them with the knowledge and skills to ensure people received adequate care. Staff were supported to do their job role through training and supervision.

Staff sought consent from people before providing support. Staff we spoke with understood the principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) to ensure people consented to the care they received. The MCA is legislation which protects the powers of people to make their own decisions.

People were appropriately supported with their dietary needs and had choice about what they wanted to eat and drink.

Staff were kind and caring and treated people with dignity and respect.

Staff used Makaton (a form of sign language) to communicate with people who were unable to communicate verbally.

People were supported to access external heath care services to promote their well-being.

People were involved in their care and we saw evidence that people's hobbies and interests were recorded and catered for.

Feedback regarding the management of the home was positive. The manager was committed to continuous improvement.

The five questions we ask about services and what we found