Blackberry Hill 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.

Blackberry Hill accommodates up to10 people who have a learning disability. Most people are non verbal and all need 24 hour support. They live in a two storey house which includes a purpose built extension. There were nine people using the service at the time of this inspection.

At the last inspection in April 2015 the service was rated Good.

At this inspection we found the service remained Good.

Why the service is rated Good:

People were safe at the service because individual and general risks were assessed and managed with as little restriction to the person as possible. Recruitment, staffing, medicine management, infection control and upkeep of the premises protected people from unsafe situations and harm.

Staff understood their responsibilities to protect people from abuse and discrimination. They knew to report any concerns and ensure action was taken. The registered manager worked appropriately with the local authority safeguarding adults team to protect people.

Staff were trained and supported to be skilled and efficient in the roles. They were very happy about the level of training and support they received and showed competence when supporting people.

People’s legal rights were understood and upheld. People’s health care needs were met.

The premises provided people with a variety of spaces for their use with relevant adaptation to meet their needs. Bedrooms were very individual and age and gender appropriate.

Staff promoted people’s dignity and privacy. Through listening to people’s views, using person specific communication methods and the staff commitment to the people in their care, the service was centred on each individual. Staff were kind and caring and people using the service were happy to return to Blackberry Hill following a period away from the home.

Support plans were detailed and reviewed with the person when possible, staff who support the person, external professionals and family members. Staff looked to identify best practise and use this to people’s benefit. Staff worked with and took advice from health care professionals.

People had a variety of internal activities (such as music therapy) and external activities which they enjoyed on a regular basis. An advocate said, “There are lots of meaningful activities and staff are responsive to individual needs. They know (the person’s) needs well”.

The registered manager ran a well organised service. People’s views were sought and opportunities taken to improve the service. Staff were supervised, supported and clear what was expected of them. Audits and checks were carried out in-house and through the provider so any problem could be identified and rectified.

The registered manager understood and met their legal responsibilities.

Blackberry Hill provides care and support for ten people who have a learning disability. People require 24 hour staff support in the home and support to go out. The home is set in its own grounds, close to the town centre. A registered manager was responsible for the home. This 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 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

This inspection took place on 17 and 20 April 2015 and was unannounced. It was carried out by one inspector.

People had communication difficulties associated with their learning difficulty. We therefore used our observations of care and our discussions with people’s parents and staff to help form our judgements.

The home was a safe place for people. Staff understood people’s needs and provided the care and support they needed. One parent said “I’ve no issues about safety at all. In all the time we have visited I’ve never been concerned about anything I’ve seen.”

The service supported people to make as many choices about their own lives as they could. People used many community facilities and were encouraged to be as independent as they could be. People appeared happy with the care they received and interacted well with staff.

Staffing levels were good and people also received good support from health and social care professionals. Staff were skilled at communicating with people, especially if people were unable to communicate verbally.

Staff had built close, trusting relationships with people over time. One parent said “What I really like is you see the same faces. There are a core of staff who have been there for a long time and they know people well and pick up any changes. You just don’t get that everywhere, that continuity of care.”

People, and those close to them, were involved in planning and reviewing their care and support. There was a very close relationship and good communication with people’s parents. Parents felt their views were listened to and acted on.

Communication and morale throughout the staff team was good. Staff were well supported and well trained. All staff spoken with said the support they received was very good. Staff spoke highly of the care they were able to provide to people. One staff member said “We try to make it a very homely place and make sure people have a good life. I love working here.”

There was a management structure in the home which provided clear lines of responsibility and accountability. The management team strived to provide the best level of care possible to people. The aims of the service were well defined and adopted by the staff team

There were effective quality assurance processes in place to monitor care and safety and plan ongoing improvements. There were systems in place to share information and seek people’s views about the running of the home.