Lustrells Vale

Lustrells Vale 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.

Lustrells Vale provides care and support for up to 4 people with learning disabilities. At the time of our inspection there were 4 people living at the home. Accommodation was arranged over two floors with stairs to the first floor. The ground floor had a communal lounge with a dining area and garden.

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.

The provider had two other services in the area one of which was next door to Lustrells Vale. Staff worked across the three homes and people had established friendships within the other services.

The service had a registered manager. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Like registered providers, they are 'registered persons'. Registered persons have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run. The registered manager was appointed in April 2017.

Lustrells Vale registered with the CQC on 31 August 2017 and this was the services first comprehensive inspection.

Staff were aware of their responsibilities in relation to keeping people safe and knew who to contact externally should they feel their concerns had not been dealt with appropriately.

Systems were in place to identify risks and protect people from harm. Risk assessments were in place and reviewed monthly. Where someone was identified as being at risk, actions were identified on how to reduce the risk and referrals were made to external agencies as required.

Premises, equipment and safety checks were carried out regularly to ensure that people were living in a safe setting.

Policies and procedures were in place to ensure the safe ordering, administration, storage and disposal of medicines. Medicines were managed, stored, given to people as prescribed and disposed of safely.

People were protected by infection control policies and procedures and the service was clean and tidy.

There were sufficient staff to meet people's needs and keep them safe. Safe staff recruitment procedures meant that only those suitable to work in a care setting were employed.

Staff had a good understanding of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) and people were encouraged to make decisions about their care and treatment. People are supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff support them in the least restrictive way possible.

The Care Quality Commission monitors the operation of the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) which applies to care services. The members of the management team and care staff we spoke with had a full and up to date understanding of DoLS. These safeguards protect the rights of adults by ensuring that if there are restrictions on their freedom and liberty these are assessed by appropriately trained professionals. Appropriate DoLS applications had been made, and staff were acting in accordance with DoLS authorisations.

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 had undertaken appropriate training to ensure that they had to skills and competencies to meet people's needs. Staff attended regular supervision meetings with the registered manager.

People were supported to maintain good health and had access to health professionals. Dietary needs and nutritional requirements had been assessed and recorded. Weight charts were seen and had been completed appropriately.

Staff were caring, knew people well, and treated people with dignity and respect. Staff acknowledged people's privacy and had developed positive working relationships with them. Relatives spoke positively about the registered manager and staff.

The care that people received was responsive to their needs. People's care plans were person-centred and had been developed around people's needs.

People were supported to follow their interests and take part in activities that were meaningful to individuals living at the service.

Complaints were listened to and managed in line with the services policy and procedures.

The registered manager had robust quality assurance systems in place to review the quality of the service that was provided.

People, relatives and staff were involved in developing the service through meetings, annual surveys and quality assurance audits.

Staff and relatives continued to speak positively about the registered manager and said there was an open- door policy.

The five questions we ask about services and what we found