Villette Lodge Assessment and Re-enablement Service provides care and support for up to six people who have learning disabilities or autistic spectrum disorders. At the time of our visit six people were using the service.

Villette Lodge has been developed and designed in line with the values that underpin Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. These values include choice, promotion of independence and inclusion. People with learning and physical disabilities using the service can live as ordinary a life as any citizen.

The home had a registered manager. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) 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.

At our last inspection we rated the service good. At this inspection we found the evidence continued to support the rating of good and there was no evidence or information from our inspection and ongoing monitoring that demonstrated serious risks or concerns. This inspection report is written in a shorter format because our overall rating of the service has not changed since our last inspection.

People who lived at the service felt safe. Relatives we spoken with also told us that they felt their loved ones were safe.

Staff had received training in safeguarding procedures and knew how to identify forms of abuse. The provider had a robust recruitment process and pre-employments checks in place, for any new members of staff. Peoples’ medicines were managed safely including the receipt, storage administration and disposal of medicines. Staff had been suitably trained and were confident in handling medicines. Regular premises and equipment checks were carried out.

Staff received regular training to support them with the necessary skills to care for people. Staff confirmed they received regular supervision sessions with their line manager.

People were supported to have a healthy and balanced diet. They told us that they enjoyed their meals and were involved with menu planning and could if they wished, have a choice of meals.

People had access to various healthcare professionals including visits to their GP, dentist and opticians. In addition, people were also supported to attend any hospital or specialist appointments.

People and their relatives were involved in the creation of care plans. Care plans were detailed and included information that supported staff to care for people in the way they wished to be cared for.

Activities were meaningful, not only in terms of social activities, but life-skills activities as well. People were encouraged to enhance these life skill activities both inside and outside of the service.

Staff told us that they enjoyed working at the service and they felt supported by the registered manager. Relatives we spoke with were complimentary about the home, the staff and the level of care their loved ones received.

The registered manager continually reviewed the quality of service provided and this included via quality assurance audits and obtaining feedback via questionnaires.

Further information is in the detailed findings below.

This announced inspection took place on 21 March 2016. The last inspection of this service was carried out on 14 January 2015. The service met all the regulations we inspected against at that time.

Villette Lodge Assessment and Re-enablement Service provide care and support for up to seven people who have learning disabilities or autistic spectrum disorders. At the time of our visit five people were using the service.

The home 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.

Relatives made positive comments about the service and said people were doing well at the home. They described the service as being safe for their family member. One relative told us, “It’s very safe there for [family member], with good staff they are helping [family member] to be more independent.” One person told us, “They help me with my washing, they give me the help I need.”

One social care professional who worked closely with the home to support one person told us, “They have a good approach and work with people to keep them safe.”

Staff had a clear understanding of safeguarding and whistleblowing. They were confident any concerns would be listened to and investigated to make sure people were protected. Staff understood the process of raising a safeguarding alert and the importance of timely recording. Records were maintained of all safeguarding alerts which showed appropriate action had been taken.

Recruitment practices at the service were thorough, appropriate and safe so only suitable people were employed. Staff had received regular supervisions. However, we found some staff appraisals were out of date. The registered manager had already put plans in place to address this over the next few months, with appraisals now being undertaken.

We viewed historical and current staffing rotas. Enough staff were employed to make sure people were supported taking into account people’s one to one support. The home had a stable staff team and many were long standing members of staff. One social care professional told us, “There is always a member of staff available for me when I visit, they always have the information I need.”

Staff understood the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) regarding people who lacked capacity to make a decision. They also understood the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) to make sure people are not restricted unnecessarily.

People’s choices were acknowledged. Each person had a range of social and leisure activities they could take part in. One person was attending a day service for woodworking skills. People’s dietary needs were respected and were used to develop a weekly menu which met the preferences, choices and needs of each person. People were supported to be as independent as possible, shopping for and preparing their own meals as part of the assessment and re-enablement process.

People’s healthcare needs were monitored and assessed; contact was made with other health care professionals when necessary. Staff helped people to lead a healthy lifestyle and supported them to health care appointments.

Relatives felt involved in their family member’s care and were able to speak with staff. For example one relative commented, “They have carried out the assessments they needed to, we have talked about [family member] moving on.”

People’s care records and risk assessments showed people were involved in their care. The service also followed the commissioner’s plans for assessment.

The service had systems in place to ensure medicines were managed in a safe way. Medicine Administration Records (MAR) were up to date with no gaps or inaccuracies.

Systems were in place for recording and managing safeguarding con

People we spoke with told us that they were happy with the service being provided and that staff were polite and treated them with respect.

We saw that staff provided care in a way that demonstrated they had a good knowledge of each individual person. Where appropriate, we saw staff providing support and encouragement to the people to do things as independently as possible.

We checked care records for three people and found that they received the care and support that had been assessed, planned and agreed. We spoke with two staff members who told us that they were really well supported by their manager.

We found that staff were aware of their responsibilities to protect vulnerable adults.

The provider had an effective system to regularly assess and monitor the quality of service that people received. They also had an effective system in place to identify, assess and manage risks to the health, safety and welfare of people who used the service.

During our visit we spoke with staff at the office and examined a range of records and documents, including initial needs assessments, care plans, staff files and information held on computer.

We observed how the people using the service were being supported and cared for and saw that they were happy, relaxed and comfortable as they went about the home. We saw that there were good relationships between them and the care workers who gave them practical and emotional support.

There were sufficient staff on duty to support people with their care needs. We looked at how the service recruited staff by checking five staff files. They showed that the appropriate checks and procedures were being followed.

We saw that staff provided care in a way that demonstrated they had a good knowledge of each individual person. Where appropriate, we saw staff providing support and encouragement to the people to do things as independently as possible.

Comments from a person using the service included "I go out to the pub and enjoy myself", "I get out to the shops and get what I want", "It's alright here".

We visited the home unannounced on 1 February 2012 and met the three people staying there, as well as care workers.

We observed how the people were being cared for and saw that they were happy, relaxed and comfortable as they went about the home. We saw that there were good relationships between them and the care workers who gave them practical and emotional support.

From our discussions with the people staying there, we were confident that they were fully involved in making decisions about how they wanted to be supported and in deciding where to live in the future. For instance, one of the people staying there told us that they had “sat down with (the care workers) and given them information about my past life”. This person said they knew “exactly what is in my record”. They told us that the care workers were working with them to find them a good place to live. This person also enjoyed drawing and said that the care workers were trying to find an art class they could join. They told us that they did what they wanted and that “they did not do the same things as other people” staying here. They were looking forward to going shopping for something to wear at a family celebration.

They told us, “There’s nowt wrong with the staff here. They’re class. If something worries you, you can go and talk to them”.