Updated 3 June 2025
Date of assessment 4 June to 17 June 2025. Upton Cottage is a residential care home which can accommodate up to 16 people. The service provides personal care to adults with learning disabilities. Fourteen people were living at the service at the time of the inspection. The assessment was carried out to follow up our previous inspection findings of a breach of good governance. At this inspection we found improvements were still needed to the provider’s governance arrangements as they had not identified shortfalls found during this inspection. We identified a new breach of legal requirements relating to the environment and premises.
We found as part of this inspection improvements were needed to the governance systems. The audits in place did not identify the improvements needed to; the safe handling of laundry, radiators that posed a risk of scalding and shortfalls in the management of medicines and incident and accidents. Staff also needed training specific to people they support along with an annual appraisal. Staff felt supported and able to raise concerns with the registered manager and provider, although staff felt there were not always enough staff when other staff were off. The registered manager and staff supported people in a kind and caring way, providing people with reassurance when required. People were supported by staff who new them well, and people were supported to attend health appointments and annual health checks when required. People’s care plans confirmed how to support the person with their individual needs. Although 1 person’s care plan needed improvements to their diabetes care plan. Mental Capacity assessments and best interest decisions were in place for people if needed. The registered manager made deprivation of liberty safeguard referrals as required. We assessed the service against ‘Right support, right care, right culture’ this is guidance to make judgements about whether the provider was supporting people with respect, equality, dignity, choice, independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted. We found improvements were required to the quality assurance systems, the environment, staff training and the management of medicines, to ensure people got the right support and the right care. We have asked the provider for an action plan following this inspection.