Kirklees is a care home close to the centre of Waltham. The home provides accommodation and personal care for adults of all ages with learning disabilities or autistic spectrum disorder. There is access for people with mobility problems and car parking facilities are available on the premises.

At the last inspection in March 2015 the service was rated Good. At this inspection we found the service remained Good.

This inspection visit took place on 28 and 29 June 2017 and was unannounced.

We spoke with people who lived at the home. They told us they felt safe with the staff that supported them and enjoyed the independence staff encouraged them to be. Over the two days we observed staff providing good support for people in various ways such as preparing to go out on activities and joining in with activities. In addition we observed staff being kind and patient in various ways.

We found recruitment checks were carried out to ensure suitable people were employed to work at Kirklees. There were sufficient staff to meet people’s needs on duty at the time of the inspection visit. This was confirmed by talking with staff members, looking at staff rotas and looking at records of staff recruitment. Staff had been appropriately trained and supported. This was confirmed by talking with staff and training records we looked at.

Risk assessments had been developed to minimise the potential risk of harm to people who lived at the home. These had been kept under review and were relevant to the care and support people required.

Care plans were in place detailing how people wished to be supported and how their independence would be encouraged. People who received support or where appropriate their relatives/advocates were involved in decisions and consented to their care.

Medication procedures observed were safe and people received their medicines as prescribed. Staff responsible for the administration of medicines had received training to ensure they had the competency and skills required. Medicines were safely kept with appropriate arrangements for storing in place.

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff support them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service support this practice.

People told us they were happy with the variety and choice of meals. They also told us if they did not like what was on the menu then they could choose something else. Comments included from people who lived at the home, “I like the food and if I don’t then there is always something else. “ Also, “The cook is very good, lovely meals.” We saw regular snacks and drinks were provided between meals during the day to ensure people received adequate nutrition and hydration.

People had access to healthcare professionals and their healthcare needs were met.

People who lived at the home told us staff and the registered manager had a caring and supportive manner. Comments from people who lived at Kirklees included, “Lovely, caring and nice people, all of them.”

The registered manager had a complaints procedure which was made available to people on their admission to the home and their relatives. No complaints had been received. People who lived at the home told us they were aware of who to talk with if they had any concerns.

Activities were organised throughout the home and out in the local community. People were encouraged to be as independent as possible and were supported to follow their chosen hobbies and interests. A display board using pictures provided people with information of what activities were arranged daily. One person who lived at the home said, “[Entertainer] is great always look forward to her coming.”

The registered manager used a variety of methods to assess and monitor the quality of the service. These included regular audits, staff and ‘resident’ meetings to seek their views about the service provided and their opinions to improve the home.

When we last visited the home in May 2013 we found that medicines records had not been accurately maintained and controlled drugs had not been safely managed. We also found systems to reduce the risk of infection were not consistently or effectively implemented. At this inspection we found that the provider had implemented a number of processes to improve these areas.

We found the home to be clean and tidy throughout and systems to manage clean laundry had improved.

We found sytems to improve staff practice and ensure accuracy of medicines records had been implemented. Whilst there had been some errors, such as missed signatures on records, these had been well managed and action had been taken to minimise the risk of errors.

People we spoke with were very limited in their responses due to their complex health needs, they told us or indicated by nodding and smiling that they were happy living at the home. One person told us, "I am happy with the care" and another said “I like living here the staff are good.”

Before people received any care or treatment they were asked for their consent and the provider acted in accordance with their wishes. We observed staff discuss people's care needs with them and explain the assistance to be provided. However written consent to their care plan was not routinely obtained.

People we spoke with were pleased with the meals provided, comments included, "I liked my dinner, I had pie." However some people did not always receive the monitoring and support they required to ensure they ate their meals.

We found systems in place to reduce the risk and spread of infection, however, we found that these were not consistently or effectively implemented.

People were not protected against the risks associated with medicines because records were not accurately maintained and controlled drugs had not been safely managed.

There were enough qualified, skilled and experienced staff to meet people’s needs and appropriate checks were undertaken before staff began work.

People’s complaints were fully investigated and resolved, where possible, to their satisfaction.

We found from our discussions with staff and people who used the service, review of records and our observations that peoples care needs were being met. The majority of people living in the home were not able to give us detailed information about their care. However one person told us they were well cared for and said "I have no pressure sores, staff put my cream on morning and night."

We found that there had been improvements to care planning and risk assessment processes and that equipment to meet people's needs had been provided. One person who used the service told us staff encouraged them to remain as independently mobile as their health allowed but also told us that a hoist had been provided to assist them to transfer. They said "Staff know how to use the hoist if I need it and I always have two people to help me." They also told us that they had a new bed and with bed rails provided because they felt safer with these in place.

We found that staff understood their responsibilities to ensure that peoples needs were met safely and to report poor practice.

People we spoke with were very positive about the care and support they received. They told us they liked living at the home and confirmed they were supported to make choices and decisions about the care they received. They told us they were assisted to be as independent as possible. Comments included “I like living here” and ”I am well cared for here.” “They ask me what I want to do” and “I like the activities,”

At our previous visit to the home on 22 September 2011 people we spoke with were very positive about the care and support they received. They told us they liked living at the home. Comments included “I like it living here”, “The staff are really good” and “I feel very safe living here”.

People we spoke with at this inspection said they were happy living in the home. comments included I am well cared for” and I am very happy”.

People we spoke with were very positive about the care and support they received. They told us they liked living at the home and confirmed they felt safe. They told us they were supported to make choices and decisions about the care they received. They told us they were very happy with the activities available to them and said they liked the staff.

Comments included “I like it living here, we are able to come and go as we like”, “I have a key worker who helps me get a bath and have a shave”, “There is lots to do here”, “I feel very safe living here”, “Its fun here, I like doing jigsaws and going out on the bus, we have singers come in and we have a dance”, “I go to the football with my key worker” and “The staff are really good”.

Kirklees is a care home close to the centre of Waltham near Grimsby. The home provides accommodation and personal care for adults of all ages with learning disabilities or autistic spectrum disorder.

The service had a registered manager in post. 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.

This inspection was unannounced and took place over two days. The previous inspection of the service took place on 23 January 2014 and was found to be compliant with all of the regulations inspected.

People who used the service and their relatives told us they felt safe. Comments included, “I’m safe” and “Of course I’m safe.”

The registered provider had policies and procedures in place in safeguarding vulnerable adults from harm or abuse.

Staff told us they had been recruited into their roles safely. Records showed appropriate checks took place before people commenced their employment.

Staffing levels were adequate to meet people’s needs and were kept under constant review so they could be adjusted flexibly should people’s needs change.

Medicines were kept and handled safely. Prior to the second day of our inspection visit, the service had received an audit visit from a local pharmacist. Their findings indicated they had no concerns about how medicines were stored and handled at the service.

We saw risk assessments clearly identified hazards people may face and provided guidance to staff to manage any risk of harm.

A relative we spoke with on the telephone said, “It's (the home) always clean when I call.”

We were shown the daily cleaning records and we noted every bedroom, bathroom and communal area was cleaned daily.

The Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) sets out what must be done to make sure the rights of people who may need support to make decisions are protected. Training records showed all staff had received recent training in the principles of MCA. Care plans we reviewed contained assessments of the person’s capacity when unable to make various complex decisions.

Each person who used the service had a specific eating and drinking plan which clearly identified their individual preferences. We observed the lunchtime experience was relaxed and had a social atmosphere with lots of chatter and interaction from staff.

The 13 people who used the service received regular input from external healthcare professions.

Staff told us they received regular training and felt well supported by the registered manager and registered provider at the service.

Members of staff were able to describe the individual needs of people in their care, including explanations of what gestures and expressions people would use to indicate their preferences, choices and wellbeing.

People who used the service told us they were able to choose when to go to bed and when to get up the next morning. They also said their privacy and dignity was respected.

Care plans were written around the individual needs and wishes of people who used the service. They contained detailed information on people’s health needs and about their preferences.

A number of activities were organised throughout the week. A display board using pictures provided people who used the service with information of what was taking place each day. Activities included clothing parties, barbeques, and trips to the seaside. In addition the registered manager had arranged ‘themed days’ around specific topics.

People told us they would know how to make a complaint if necessary. They all said the registered manager and the staff were very approachable.

The registered manager carried out regular checks on staff competency. Records showed accidents and incidents were being recorded and appropriate actions taken immediately.

The service was well organised which enabled staff to respond to people’s needs in a proactive and planned way.