We carried out a review of the data available to us about Little Amberwood on 6 July 2023. We have not found evidence that we need to carry out an inspection or reassess our rating at this stage.
This could change at any time if we receive new information. We will continue to monitor data about this service.
If you have concerns about Little Amberwood, you can give feedback on this service.
Little Amberwood is a care home that provides accommodation and personal care for up to four people diagnosed with autistic spectrum disorders and learning disabilities. At the time of this inspection there were four people living at the home.
The service is situated in the Walkford area of Christchurch. The premises comprise of a two-story house with four bedrooms, all with en-suite facilities and shared living areas. These included a kitchen, conservatory dining area and separate lounge. The garden provided areas for both recreation and seating for people to use as they wish. The garden included a separate area for chickens, which people particularly enjoyed caring for.
People’s experience of using the service and what we found
We expect health and social care providers to guarantee autistic people and people with a learning disability the choices, dignity, independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted. Right support, right care, right culture is the statutory guidance which supports CQC to make assessments and judgements about services providing support to people with a learning disability and/or autistic people.
This 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 setting maximised people’s choice, control and independence. People were supported to make choices about their daily lives and do things they enjoyed. Staff knew people well and supported and encouraged people to live their best lives. Staff understood the importance of social inclusion and supported people to maintain and develop relationships and engage in the wider local community.
Right care:
Care was person-centred and promoted people’s dignity, privacy and human rights. Positive behaviour support plans provided clear guidance for staff which ensured people received consistent, person-centred care. Staff were knowledgeable regarding how people preferred to be supported and understood people’s individual behaviours and which events may trigger anxiety. People were supported and enabled 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.
Right culture:
The ethos, values, attitudes and behaviours of management and care staff ensured people using the service led confident, inclusive and empowered lives. Staff created a friendly, homely environment where people were supported to make their own choices regarding how they lived their daily lives.
Relatives told us they felt the staff provided safe care and support and people enjoyed living at Little Amberwood. We observed people were relaxed and happy with staff who knew them well and supported them in ways they preferred. People were treated with dignity and respect that valued them individually. Relatives and health and social care professionals all spoke positively of the management and staff team and told us they were very happy with the support and level of care people received.
The was a clear risk assessment system in place. Risks to people’s health, safety and well-being were regularly assessed, reviewed and updated. Risks to the environment were also assessed and reviewed. Where appropriate people and their families were fully included and involved in their care and support. People’s and relatives views and opinions were listened to and acted upon.
Staff understood how to identify and report abuse and were well supported in their roles. Staff received regular team meetings, supervision and annual appraisals and completed a variety of training courses to enable them to carry out their roles competently.
Staff were recruited safely. There were enough appropriately trained and experienced staff to support people in ways that suited them.
Medicines were managed, stored and administered safely. People were supported to take their medicines safely by staff who had received the appropriate levels of training and had their competency regularly checked.
Cleaning and infection control procedures followed the relevant COVID-19 guidance to help protect people, visitors and staff from the risk of infection. Government guidance regarding COVID-19 testing for people, staff and visitors was being followed.
People received healthy, nutritious meals. Some people enjoyed planning and cooking for themselves. People’s dietary needs were assessed and reviewed regularly.
The service worked collaboratively with health care professionals to ensure people always received the best care and support. Staff were responsive to people’s changing support needs and adapted care and support according to their health needs.
The service was well-led by a registered manager who was approachable and respected by the people, relatives, health care professionals and staff. We received positive feedback regarding the registered manager and their open, friendly and supportive approach to ensuring each person was supported to live their best lives.
There were clear quality assurance systems in place to drive improvement and ensure the home offered a safe, effective, caring and responsive service.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk.
Rating at last inspection
This service was registered with us on 6 August 2020 and this is the first full inspection.
Why we inspected
This was a planned inspection.
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.
We found the following examples of good practice.
Visitors were welcomed into the home safely. There were temperature checks, health screening, hand sanitising and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). The home worked with people and their families to support visits safely. There were risk assessments in place for all visit types which included access to a visitors pod with screens for added protection and ‘window’ visits. The provider was working within government guidance for visitors within the home.
Staff had received infection control training and the registered manager was qualified to train staff to put on and take off their PPE correctly. The home was clean and hygienic and the cleaning programme had been enhanced to include two hourly cleaning of high touch point areas such as light switches and door handles. Cleaning was recorded and this was monitored by the registered manager.
Staff had worked to support people in their understanding of the Coronavirus pandemic, keeping safe and the need for staff to wear PPE such as face masks. People were supported with hand hygiene and provided with PPE when they visited shops. The registered manager told us they had various publications and guidance in an easy read format. The home was spacious and social distancing was encouraged.
Risk assessments were in place for all aspects of people’s care and support. Staff had individual risk assessments where necessary and there were general ones for the home. Staff and people were participating in regular Covid-19 testing. People were admitted safely into the home and were subject to a period of isolation in line with government recommendations.
The registered manager and deputy manager told us they had worked hard to ensure the people they support could spend their day how they wished, within the restrictions of the pandemic. Staff had actively sought to provide and support activities for people including rearing baby chicks.