Treefields Resource Centre is a six bedded service providing respite care [short stay] to people with learning disabilities, on both a planned and short notice basis. It is within easy access of Rotherham town centre and Meadowhall shopping centre. Overall the service supports approximately 55 people with respite care over the year.

This unannounced inspection took place on 13 July 2017. The home was previously inspected in July 2015 when we rated it as ‘Good’. You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the 'all reports' link for ‘Treefields’ on our website at www.cqc.org.uk’

The service had a registered manager in post at the time of our inspection. 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 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

On the day of our visit there were four people staying at the home. The people who agreed to speak with us said they enjoyed visiting the home and were very happy with the care and support they received during their stays.

Systems were in place to protect people from the risk of harm. Staff were knowledgeable about keeping people safe and were able to explain the procedures to follow should any concerns be raised. Risk assessments had been completed to help keep people safe and encourage their independence.

There was a stable staff team who knew the people who stayed at the home very well and provided individualised care and support. People were enabled to continue with their usual routines, such as attending day centres and taking part in their hobbies and interests.

There was a robust medication system in place which ensured people received their medications in a safe and timely way from staff who had been trained to carry out this role.

The recruitment system helped the employer make safer recruitment decisions when employing new staff. A structured induction programme was undertaken, which included staff completing essential training at the beginning of their employment. An on-going training and support programme ensured staff maintained and developed their knowledge and skills.

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 support this practice.

People received a well-balanced diet that they were involved in choosing, shopping for and helping to prepare.

People’s assessed needs were checked and updated prior to each visit to Treefields, and this information was used to update their support plans. Care files provided detailed information about the areas people needed support in and reflected their abilities and preferences, which enabled staff to provide individualised care.

The provider had a complaints policy to guide people on how to raise concerns and there was a structured system in place for recording the detail and outcome of any concerns raised. This was also available in an easy to read version that used pictures to help people understand the process.

There was a system in place to enable people to share their opinion of the service provided. We also saw an audit system had been used to check if policies had been followed and the premises were safe and well maintained.

Our inspection looked at our five questions; is the service caring? Is the service responsive? Is the service safe? Is the service effective? Is the service well led?

Below is a summary of what we found. The summary is based on our observations during the inspection, speaking with people using the service, speaking with the staff supporting them and looking at records.

If you want to see the evidence supporting our summary please read the full report.

Is the service safe?

People were treated with respect and dignity by the staff. All staff had contributed to a dignity pledge. Staff had received training in relation to safeguarding people who use the service. People using the service told us they felt safe. One person told us: “If anything is wrong or staff do something I don’t like, I tell someone. It’s safe here.”

Systems were in place to make sure that managers and staff learn from events such as accidents and incidents, complaints, concerns, whistleblowing and investigations. This reduces the risks to people and helps the service to continually improve.

Audits took place to ensure that the service was safely run.

Is the service effective?

People’s health and care needs were assessed with them, and they were involved in writing their plans of care. People said that they had been involved in writing them and they knew what was in their care plans.

Audits and reviews took place to ensure that care was delivered in a way that met people’s needs.

Is the service caring?

People were supported by kind and patient staff. We saw that care workers showed patience and gave encouragement when supporting people. We looked at questionnaires completed by relatives of people using the service. One relative said: “I know he is in good, kind, safe, caring hands.”

People’s preferences, interests and plans had been assessed. Care and support had been provided in accordance with people’s wishes.

Is the service responsive?

The service supported people in accessing the community to pursue their interests and aspirations. Staff acted on people’s needs and in accordance with their wishes. Where people’s health needs changed, staff ensured that their support accommodated their changing needs.

People using the service told us they knew how to make a complaint if they needed to. We looked at complaints records and found that they were responded to in a timely manner.

Is the service well-led?

The service worked with other agencies and services to make sure people received their care in a joined up way. Staff communicated effectively with other services so that people’s needs were met.

There was a quality assurance system in place, where external staff carried out a quality monitoring programme. However, staff described that one aspect of this had not been kept up to the planned frequency recently.

At the time of the inspection, the home’s registered manager had been on a period of absence. However, one relative had contacted the home to say: “The centre runs as if he is still there.”

People we spoke with told us that they were involved in day to day decisions about their care. One person told us that they had picked the room they were staying in. Another person told us that they decided what to do each day according to their own preferences.

People we spoke with were extremely positive about their experience of receiving support at Treefields Resource Centre. One person said “I really really love it here.” Another said “it’s wonderful.”

People were cared for in a clean, hygienic environment. We carried out a visual inspection of the premises, and found that all areas we checked were cleaned to a high standard. The home was in a good condition, which meant that it could be cleaned to an appropriate standard to reduce the risk of infection.

We checked the daily notes in people’s files, and saw that when plans had been made for people to go out or take part in activities, there were always sufficient staff to ensure they were supported to do so.

We asked people using the service about the complaints arrangements. One person said: “I know how to make a complaint, it’s in my file.” They then showed us where there was information within their personal file which told them how to complain, should they wish to.

We spoke with two people who were using the service at the time of the inspection, and they were both extremely positive about their experience of receiving services at Treefields Resource Centre. They praised the staff, the premises and the way that they were cared for when using the service. One person said “staff give us lots of help” and “you can chat with your friends here, it’s lovely”. We asked about how involved people were in their care. One person told us “we have meetings about what we are going to do, and write it down”. Another person said “I decide what I do”

Due to the nature of this service we were not able to speak with people who use the service on this inspection. However, at our recent inspection in September 2011 one person told us that he participates in a range of activities when he stays at Treefields Resource Centre. The father of another person who uses the service told us that his daughter viewed staying at Treefields Resource Centre as a holiday. Surveys completed by people who use the service were very positive. One person had written “I love the time I spend at Treefields".

Due to the nature of this service we were not able to speak with people who use the service on this inspection. However, at our last inspection in September 2011 one person told us that he participates in a range of activities when he stays at Treefields Resource Centre. Also in September the father of another person who used the service told us that his daughter viewed staying at Treefields Resource Centre as a holiday. Surveys completed by people who use the service were very positive. One person had written “I love the time I spend at Treefields".

Due to the nature of the service there was only one person available to speak to during the inspection. He told us that he enjoys his stays at Treefields Resource Centre. He said that he participates in a range of activities when he stays there. The father of another person who uses the service told us that his daughter viewed staying at Treefields Resource Centre as a holiday. Surveys completed by people who use the service were very positive. One person had written “I love the time I spend at Treefields".

The inspection was unannounced, and the inspection visit was carried out over two days; 14 and 15 July 2015. The location was previously inspected in April 2014, where no breaches of legal requirements were identified.

Treefields Resource Centre is a 6 bed respite service for adults with learning disabilities. People using the service stay for regular, short periods of time on a planned, or occasionally emergency, basis.

The service is located in a quiet, residential area of Rotherham, South Yorkshire. It is close to the town centre and other local amenities.

The service did not have a registered manager at the time of the inspection. 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 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

During the inspection people using the service, and their relatives, told that they enjoyed the range of activities available in the home, and staff we spoke with and observed understood people’s needs and preferences well. Staff were able to describe to us how people made decisions and how they offered choices to people.

We found that staff received a good level of training; the provider’s own records evidenced this, as did the staff we spoke with. Staff we spoke with told us they had received training in safeguarding, food hygiene, fire safety, infection control, control and restraint and autism awareness.’

Throughout the inspection we saw that staff showed people using the service a high degree of respect and took steps to maintain their privacy and dignity. We asked two people using the service about whether staff protected their privacy and showed them respect. They told us that staff always knocked on their bedroom door and encouraged them to understand the importance of respect.

The provider had effective systems in place to ensure people’s safety. This included staff’s knowledge about safeguarding, and up to date risk assessments. One person using the service told us that they were interested in health and safety, and that staff had assisted them in looking at their risk assessments. They showed us the risk assessments in their file and told us how this helped them keep safe