Ridgeway

Updated 22 March 2019

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. This inspection was planned to check whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Act, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

Inspection team:

The inspection was carried out by one inspector and an expert by experience. An expert by experience is a person who has personal experience of using similar services. Our expert by experience focused on observation of people because of behaviours that might challenge our inspection.

Service and service type:

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

The service had been developed and designed in line with the principles and values that underpin Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. This ensures that people who use the service can live as full a life as possible and achieve the best possible outcomes. The principles reflect the need for people with learning disabilities and/or autism to live meaningful lives that include control, choice, and independence. People using the service receive planned and co-ordinated person-centred support that is appropriate and inclusive for them

The service 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 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

Notice of inspection:

This was a comprehensive inspection, which took place on 26 February 2019 and was unannounced.

What we did:

We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection in 13 and 30 September 2016. This included details about incidents the provider must notify us about, such as abuse or when a person dies. We assessed the information we require providers to send us at least once annually to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We used all this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection, we spoke with six people using the service, five support workers and the registered manager. We also spoke with the operations manager. We requested feedback from a range of healthcare professionals involved in the service. We did not receive any feedback.

We reviewed a range of records based on the history of the service. This included two people's care records and medicines records. We also looked at three staff files including their recruitment, supervision and training records. We reviewed records relating to the management of the service and a variety of policies and procedures implemented by the provider. We also looked at other records the provider kept, such as meetings with people and surveys they completed to share their views.

Updated 22 March 2019

About the service: Ridgeway Care Home is a large semi-detached property providing accommodation on three floors. It is located in a residential area opposite a large park and within walking distance of shops and accessible public transport links. Care and support is provided to adults with learning disabilities. Some people with limited verbal communication abilities and behaviours which challenge. The home accommodates up to six people. At the time of our inspection, six people were using the service.

People’s experience of using this service: The outcomes for people using the service reflected the principles and values of Registering the Right Support in the following ways; people's support focused on them having choice and control over their lives. The service promoted people’s independence and was inclusive. Everyone we spoke with was positive in their feedback. Comments included; “I am happy here. I feel safe” and “Yes, I do like the staff here.”

People continued to be safe at Ridgeway. Staff knew what their responsibilities were in relation to keeping people safe from the risk of abuse. The provider followed safe recruitment practices.

Staff encouraged people to actively participate in activities, pursue their interests and to maintain relationships with people that mattered to them. People felt a part of their local community and were supported to use local resources such as library, community park and pubs.

Staff understood the importance of promoting people’s choices and provided the support people required while promoting and maintaining independence. This enabled people to achieve positive outcomes and promoted a good quality of life.

People were involved in the running of the service and were consulted on key issues that may affect them.

People received the support they needed to stay healthy and to access healthcare services. Each person had an up to date support plan, which set out how their care and support needs should be met by staff. These were reviewed regularly.

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

Rating at last inspection: Good (Report published 21 October 2016).

Why we inspected: This was a planned comprehensive inspection.

At this inspection, we found that the overall rating remained the same.