Archived: The Old Rectory Singleton

Updated 13 April 2021

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection was planned to check whether the provider is meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008.

As part of CQC’s response to care homes where there have been outbreaks of COVID-19, we are conducting reviews to ensure that the Infection Prevention and Control practice was safe and the service was compliant with IPC measures. This was a targeted inspection looking at the IPC practices the provider has in place.

This inspection took place on 26 March 2021 and was unannounced.

Updated 13 April 2021

We carried out an unannounced comprehensive inspection on 22 and 23 January 2018.

The Old Rectory provides care and accommodation for up to 19 people with learning disabilities. On the days of our inspection there were 17 people living at the care home.

There was a registered manager in post. 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. At the last inspection on the 28 July 2015, the service was rated Good overall. However it was Requires Improvement in Well-Led. At this inspection we found the service Good overall.

Why the service is rated good:

We met and spoke to all 17 people during our visit and observed the interaction between them and the staff supporting them. However, some people were not able to fully verbalise their views, so staff used other methods of communication, for example by providing visual prompts. Others were able to tell us able the care and support they received.

The service was now well-led. At our inspection in July 2015 it recorded that improvements had been completed from our inspection of July 2014 however the registered manager had only been registered with us since April 2015. Therefore our previous inspection report stated; “We found, however, that follow up action was not yet fully embedded in practice and further improvements were needed.” At this inspection we found those improvements had been embedded into the service.

People lived in a service where the registered manager and provider’s values and vision were embedded into the service, staff and culture. Staff told us the registered manager and provider were very approachable and made themselves available. The provider’s governance framework, helped monitor the management and leadership of the service, as well as the ongoing quality and safety of the care people were receiving.

People lived in a service which had been designed and adapted to meet their needs. The service was monitored by the registered manager and provider to help ensure its ongoing quality and safety.

People remained safe at the service. One person said; “Yes I’m safe here, because all my friends are here.” People were protected as the company had safe recruitment procedures in place to help ensure staff were suitable to work with vulnerable people. Staff agreed there was sufficient numbers of staff on duty to support people and meet their needs. Comments from staff on why people were safe included; “People are safe because we are all well trained and have a good staff team” and another said; “We know where people are and what they are doing at all times.”

People’s risks were assessed, monitored and managed by staff to help ensure they remained safe. Risk assessments were completed to enable people to retain as much independence as possible. People received their medicines safely by suitably trained staff.

People continued to receive care from staff who had the knowledge and skills required to effectively support them. Staff had all completed safeguarding training and new staff had completed the Care Certificate (a nationally recognised training course for staff new to care). Staff confirmed the Care Certificate training looked at and discussed the Equality and Diversity needs of people.

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives as much as they were able to. Staff supported people in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice. Some people had their end of life wishes documented. People's healthcare needs were met and their health was monitored by the staff team. People had access to a variety of healthcare professionals.

People’s care and support was based on legislation and best practice guidelines, helping to ensure the best outcomes for people. People’s legal rights were up held and consent to care was sought. Care records were person centred and held comprehensive details on how people liked their needs to be met, taking into account people’s preferences and wishes. Information recorded included people’s previous medical and social history and people’s cultural, religious and spiritual needs.

People were observed to be treated with kindness and compassion by staff who valued them. The staff, many had all worked at the service for some time, had built strong relationships with people. Staff respected people’s privacy. People or their representatives, were involved in decisions about the care and support people received.

The service remained responsive to people's individual needs and provided personalised care and support. Some people had complex communication needs and these were individually assessed and met. People were able to make choices about their day to day lives. The provider had a complaints policy in place and the registered manager confirmed any complaints received would be fully investigated and responded to.