We carried out a review of the data available to us about Apple Orchard 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 Apple Orchard, you can give feedback on this service.
Apple Orchard is a care home registered for 10 people with learning disabilities. At the time of our inspection there were 10 people using the service.
We found the following examples of good practice.
¿ Staff ensured the service was regularly cleaned and the environment was adequately ventilated.
¿ Staff had received relevant training in infection prevention and control and used the PPE provided appropriately.
¿ Staff and people had been tested for COVID-19 in accordance with national guidance.
¿ New furniture had been purchased for a communal room which could be easily cleaned to reduce any risk from infection.
¿ People's and staffs' temperatures were checked regularly, as well as monitoring for other Covid-19
related symptoms.
¿ People were supported to stay socially engaged and not to become lonely. People were well supported by staff to have telephone and internet contact with their relatives.
¿ People were supported to continue to take part in activities and to take up new activities within the care home and the grounds. Art sessions had been supported to continue and some people had taken this up as a new activity.
¿ People used outside space to take fresh air and to engage in physical exercise organised by staff.
¿ Contact had been made with another local care provider to share practice and experiences of managing the pandemic and keeping people safe.
¿ The service had a plan in place to manage any staff shortages during an outbreak of infection.
People’s experience of using this service:
The service applied the principles and values of Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. These ensure that people who use the service can live as full a life as possible and achieve the best possible outcomes that include control, choice and independence.
The outcomes for people using the service reflected the principles and values of Registering the Right Support in the following ways:
• People were involved in planning their care.
• People were supported to follow their interests, set goals and increase their independence.
• People had good access to their local community and opportunities to meet people and were supported to maintain relationships with friends and family.
People were supported by a small but consistent team of staff who were kind and caring. Staff had good relationships with people and knew them well. People told us they liked living at the service and wouldn’t change anything about it.
Staff knowledge in relation to people’s condition, their needs, and how to support them was thorough.
Care plans were person centred and included people’s personal goals for the year.
There was an open culture where staff and people could raise concerns or issues. People told us they felt safe at the service and felt happy to speak up.
Rating at last inspection: Good (August 2017).
Why we inspected: This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.
Follow up: We will continue our on-going monitoring of the service and all information we receive. We will use this information to determine when we next inspect the service.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk
At the time of our inspection visit Apple Orchard had 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.
This focused inspection took place on the 23 August 2017 and was unannounced. We previously inspected the service on 31 March 2017, where we found a continuous breach of regulation 18 of the Care Quality Commission (Registration) Regulations 2009 in relation to a lack of notifications. We had not been notified of some incidents impacting on the wellbeing of people living at the home. CQC monitors events affecting the welfare, health and safety of people living in the home through notifications that providers are required to send to us.
At this inspection we found an improvement and the provider was meeting the requirements of this regulation. Important events impacting on people using the service had been reported to us through required notifications.
This report only covers our findings in relation to this topic. You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the 'all reports' link for ‘Apple Orchard’ on our website at ‘www.cqc.org.uk’. At the comprehensive inspection in March 2017 the service was rated as overall Good’ with ‘Requires Improvement’ in Well-led to reflect our concerns in relation to notifications not being sent. Our findings at this inspection have not changed the current rating of ‘Requires Improvement’ for the key question Well-led for this service because we did not look at all the areas for the key question Well-led. We will review all areas of the key questions in full at our next comprehensive inspection.
Apple Orchard is a care home providing support and accommodation for up to 10 adults with learning disabilities.
Important events impacting on people using the service had not been reported to us through required notifications.
At the time of our inspection visit Apple Orchard had 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.
We found a breach of the Care Quality Commission (Registration) Regulations 2009. You can see what action we told the provider to take at the back of the full version of the report.
Apple Orchard is a care home providing support and accommodation for up to 10 adults with learning disabilities. At the time of the inspection there were 10 people using the service.
Apple Orchard did not have a registered manager in post. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) 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.
We had not been notified of the outcome of an application to deprive a person of their liberty. CQC monitors events affecting the welfare, health and safety of people living in the home through notifications that providers are required to send to us.
Audits were completed to check the quality and safety of the service provided, however the medicines audit was not robust enough to identify medicines recording issues.
Risks to people’s safety were identified, assessed and appropriate action taken. We found improvements to how people’s medicines were managed. People’s individual needs were known to staff who had achieved positive relationships with them. People were treated with kindness, their privacy and dignity was respected and they were supported to develop their independence and keep in contact with relatives. People were involved in the planning and review of their care and took part in a range of activities.
Staff received support to develop knowledge and skills for their role and were positive about their work with people. The acting manager was accessible to people using the service and staff.
We found a breach of the Care Quality Commission (Registration) Regulations 2009. You can see what action we told the provider to take at the back of the full version of the report.
This inspection took place on the 15 and 16 July 2015 and was unannounced.
Apple Orchard is a care home providing support and accommodation for up to 10 adults with learning disabilities. At the time of the inspection there were 10 people using the service.
Apple Orchard had a registered manager although this person was not in post at the time of our inspection. A new manager was in post although they had not applied for registration. 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.
Some aspects of the management of people’s medicines were unsafe. People were not protected against being supported by unsuitable staff because robust recruitment procedures were not applied.
Although there was an understanding and correct use of the Mental Capacity Act 2005, the associated Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) had not been used correctly to uphold people’s rights.
Although quality checks were in place did not always seek and act on feedback from people or their representatives on the services provided or identify areas for improvement.
We had not been notified of some incidents affecting the wellbeing of people living at the home. CQC monitors events affecting the welfare, health and safety of people living in the home through notifications that providers are required to send to us.
There were sufficient staff to meet people’s needs and people were protected from the risk of abuse by staff who understood safeguarding procedures.
People were consulted on a range of topics including meal choices, their choices of activities and wishes for the future. This resulted in people receiving individualised support.
People received support from caring staff who respected their privacy, dignity and the importance of independence. There were arrangements in place for people and their representatives to raise concerns about the service.
We found breaches of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014 and the Care Quality Commission (Registration) Regulations 2009. You can see what action we told the provider to take at the back of the full version of the report.
In summary, this inspection found that Apple Orchard was providing a good standard of care and support to the people who were using the services.
In summary, this inspection found that Apple Orchard was providing a good standard of care and support to the people who were using the services.