St James Mews

St James Mews is a care home that provides personal care and accommodation for up to nine individuals, focusing on support for autistic people and those with a learning disability. This inspection report from the Care Quality Commission (CQC) assesses how safe, effective, caring, responsive, and well-led the service is. Overall, the report highlights significant improvements since the previous inspection, moving the service out of Special Measures. However, it also identifies specific areas where further development is needed to ensure the highest standards of care for all residents.

On safety, while the service has made progress in managing risks and safeguarding residents from abuse, there are ongoing requirements for improvement. Specifically, more consistent and accurate recording of bowel movements is needed for individuals at risk of constipation, and clearer guidance is required for staff supporting residents with diabetes.

In terms of how effective the care is, improvements have been made in personalising care plans and supporting residents' communication needs. However, care plans still need to be more detailed regarding when to involve external agencies for resident safety when they leave the service independently.

Regarding caring practices, the report indicates that staff provide kind, compassionate care and respect residents' privacy and dignity, with relatives giving positive feedback. Residents are supported to communicate in their preferred ways, leading to reduced frustration and greater expression of choice.

The service has shown responsiveness by ensuring residents' preferred communication methods are understood and used, making them happier and more able to express their choices. The provider has also paused admissions to focus on making essential improvements.

In terms of how well-led the service is, the report acknowledges that management has identified areas needing improvement and has a plan to remodel the service. While steps have been taken to address previous regulatory breaches, there are still needs for greater consistency in daily note completion and ensuring all staff have appropriate medicine competency checks. The absence of a registered manager at the time of inspection is also noted, though an application was planned.