Ebenezer House

Updated 19 May 2022

The inspection

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (the Act) as part of our regulatory functions. We checked whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Act. We looked at the overall quality of the service and provided a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

As part of this inspection we looked at the infection control and prevention measures in place. This was conducted so we can understand the preparedness of the service in preventing or managing an infection outbreak, and to identify good practice we can share with other services.

Inspection team

The inspection was completed by one inspector.

Service and service type

Ebenezer House is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

This service is required to have a registered manager. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. This means that they and the provider are legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided.

At the time of our inspection there was not a registered manager in post.

Notice of inspection

The inspection was unannounced.

What we did before inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service. We sought feedback from the local authority and commissioners. The provider was asked to complete a Provider Information Return (PIR) prior to this inspection. A PIR is information providers send us to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. This information helps support our inspections. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with two people and two members of staff, the home manager and the area manager. We looked at the management of one person’s medication.

After the inspection

We spoke with three staff members. We reviewed a range of records. This included three people’s care records. We looked at two staff files in relation to recruitment and staff supervision. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures were reviewed.

Updated 19 May 2022

About the service

Ebenezer House is a residential care home providing personal care for up to five people with a learning disability and autistic people. At the time of the inspection four people were using the service.

The home is made up of four single bedrooms and a separate, fully contained, one bedroomed bungalow. There are communal areas in the main home, including the dining and lounge areas, kitchen and garden.

People’s experience of using this service and what we found

There was no registered manager in post at the time of the inspection. Staff told us there had been some inconsistency with the home’s leadership. Although this had not impacted on the service delivery, some staff felt this had led to confusion over consistent working practices. The provider carried out audits of the service to monitor and review the quality of the care provided to people. Competency checks were completed to monitor staff practice to ensure they were working to current best practice. The provider and staff worked in partnership with people, relatives and appropriate health and social care professionals, to ensure people’s support needs were met.

We expect health and social care providers to guarantee people with a learning disability and autistic people respect, equality, dignity, choices and independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted. ‘Right support, right care, right culture’ is the guidance CQC follows to make assessments and judgements about services supporting people with a learning disability and autistic people and providers must have regard to it.

Systems were in place to keep people safe from risk of avoidable harm and abuse. Staff were aware of their responsibilities to keep people safe from abuse. Risks had been appropriately assessed with enough staff members on duty to support people safely. People’s medicines were managed safely and the home environment was clean and hygienic. There were processes in place to investigate any incidents to reduce risk of reoccurrences.

A detailed pre-assessment was completed before people moved into the home. People were supported by trained staff who were knowledgeable about people’s individual needs. Staff encouraged people to try healthy food options. Staff sought people's consent and encouraged people make their own decisions.

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

People were supported by kind and caring staff who knew people well. People's individual needs were respected and staff supported people with dignity and respect. People and relatives were involved in the planning of their support.

The service was able to demonstrate how they were meeting the underpinning principles of right support, right care, right culture.

Right support

The model of care and the accommodation maximised people's choice and control, independence. The environment was spacious and homely. From the outside, it did not give the impression of being a care home. People were encouraged to bring in their own belongings to personalise their own bedroom. People were encouraged by staff to develop their independence.

Right care

Care is person-centred and promotes people's dignity, privacy and human rights. People were supported by staff that knew them well and understood their needs. Staff told us about the relationships they had built up with people which had increased people’s confidence and enabled them to provide the appropriate support to people even when they were anxious or upset.

Right culture

There was a positive, person-centred culture amongst the staff team. The new manager and staff members worked in partnership with people. There was a culture of listening to people and working in their best interest.

For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk

Rating at the last inspection

The last rating for this service was good (published 10 January 2019).

Why we inspected

This inspection was prompted by a review of the information we held about this service. A decision was made for us to inspect. We found no evidence during this inspection that people were at risk of harm.

We looked at infection prevention and control measures under the Safe key question. We look at this in all care home inspections even if no concerns or risks have been identified. This is to provide assurance that the service can respond to COVID-19 and other infection outbreaks effectively.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.