Brighton & Hove City Council - The Beach House

The service was a large home, bigger than most domestic style properties. It was registered for the support of up to 14 people. This is larger than current best practice guidance. However. the size of the service having a negative impact on people was mitigated by the building design fitting into the residential area and the other large domestic homes of a similar size. There were deliberately no identifying signs or anything else outside to indicate it was a care home. Staff were also discouraged from wearing anything that suggested they were care staff when coming and going with people.

We identified some areas of practice that need improvement. Quality assurance systems had been introduced and were continuing to be developed and improved. This included audits of medicines, infection control, and health and safety. However other systems of quality monitoring had not yet been implemented, such as the monitoring of training, supervision and appraisal of staff. Further time was needed to fully embed these into day to day practice. Staff told us they were well supported and could speak with managers about any issues or concerns they had. However, the providers formal system for staff supervision had not been maintained, and routine supervision had not gone ahead for staff for some time.

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 supported by staff to work towards their individual goals and objectives. During their stay at the Beach House, staff encouraged and supported people to live as independently as possible and to have control over their lives. People were encouraged to express their views using a variety of communication methods and staff actively sought feedback which was discussed with individuals.

Right Care: Care is person-centred and promotes people's dignity, privacy and human rights People who used the service and their relatives told us they felt supported kind and caring staff. Staff knew people well and ensured they were supported with their social and care needs in a person-centred way.

Right Culture: Ethos, values, attitudes and behaviours of leaders and care staff ensure people using services lead confident, inclusive and empowered lives The culture of the service was open, inclusive and empowered individuals to express their views on how the service was run. People and relatives told us they felt confident and were supported to manage potential risks, for example when they accessed the local community. People who used the service and their relatives were complimentary of staff and the leadership of the service.