Summary

The inspection took place on 13 February 2018 and was announced.

Hart Plain Care provides accommodation and support to up to seven people with learning disabilities or autistic spectrum disorders. At the time of our inspection there were six people living at the home.

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.

Hart Plain Care 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.

We have made a recommendation to the provider in relation to the frequency that they review and update their policies and procedures to reflect good practice in the well led section of this report.

Medicines were managed safely, however the medicines policy was not comprehensive and some liquid medicines were not dated when opened.

Risks to people had been assessed and reviewed regularly to ensure people’s individual needs were being met safely.

The premises were safe and suitable for the people using the service. The service was clean and checks were in place to ensure hygiene and safety was maintained.

Staff recruitment processes were robust and necessary checks and clearances were in place before staff commenced working at the service.

Care plans were person centred and contained information on how to meet people’s needs along with information about peoples hopes and dreams and their life stories.

Staff had received training appropriate to their role and were supported by regular supervision meetings with the registered manager.

People’s nutrition and hydration needs were met. People chose the meals that were cooked and staff supported people in making healthy choices.

People told us that staff were caring and their relatives reported that people had become more willing to engage and had developed their self-esteem while living in the home.

People had considered their preferences for end of life care. The registered manager told us she sees people’s placements as for their whole life so considered how to meet their needs for as long as possible.

The service was led by a registered manager and a provider, both of whom were approachable and committed to improving the service and embedding values in to staff practice.