Champions Place

This report from the Care Quality Commission (CQC) offers an overview of Champions Place, a care home for individuals with learning disabilities. The inspection focused on assessing the safety, effectiveness, caring nature, responsiveness, and leadership of the service, aiming to understand how well the home supports its residents in living full and independent lives. The findings highlight both strengths and areas where improvements are needed to ensure the highest quality of care.

Regarding the safety of residents, inspectors noted that people felt secure in the home and staff followed guidance to minimize risks. Safeguarding concerns were reported appropriately, and staff were aware of their responsibilities. While medication practices have improved, a minor issue with an expired medicine was identified and addressed. Staffing levels were deemed sufficient, with a robust recruitment process in place to ensure suitability for the role.

In terms of the effectiveness of care, the service supports residents in making decisions and learning new skills. People have access to a range of activities and food options they enjoy. However, there was a noted lack of individual capacity assessments for some residents requiring constant supervision, although this was addressed by management following the inspection. Staff receive appropriate training, but there is an area for development in ensuring timely and regular performance appraisals.

The caring aspect of the service has seen positive developments, with residents reporting kindness and a good atmosphere within the home. Staff engage with residents warmly, fostering a relaxed and happy environment. Residents are encouraged to make their own decisions, and their privacy, dignity, and independence are respected and promoted through staff support and the environment.

In relation to responsiveness, care plans are used to understand residents' needs, with staff dedicating time to review them. Residents are supported to attend significant events, such as funerals, with compassionate assistance. While staff are not currently supporting anyone at the end of their life, a recommendation has been made to explore residents' wishes and choices in this regard.

Finally, concerning leadership, while improvements have been made in areas like medicine management and staff understanding of regulations, there remain aspects requiring further development. Audits and oversight of care plans need to be more consistent to ensure that all needs are fully captured and met. The home is working towards best practice guidance, aiming to maximise independence and choice for its residents.