Ivy Dene

Updated 16 December 2020

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 with outbreaks of coronavirus, 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 24 November 2020 and was announced.

Updated 16 December 2020

About the service

Ivy Dene is a residential care home providing personal care to 20 people. The service supports people with complex needs and/or people with a learning disability. At the time of our inspection 19 people were using the service. The accommodation is made up of three separate units. The largest unit accommodates 10 people, and this is larger than current best practice guidance.

The service did not consistently apply the principles and values of Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. This guidance helps ensure 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. The service promoted independence and provided person-centred support within the constraints of an environment where a large number of people shared communal facilities. The provider had plans to improve the layout of the home and the environment which would help ensure the principles and values were consistently applied. People were encouraged to access the community and undertake person centred activities.

The Secretary of State has asked the Care Quality Commission (CQC) to conduct a thematic review and to make recommendations about the use of restrictive interventions in settings that provide care for people with or who might have mental health problems, learning disabilities and/or autism. Thematic reviews look in-depth at specific issues concerning quality of care across the health and social care sectors. They expand our understanding of both good and poor practice and of the potential drivers of improvement.

As part of the thematic review, we carried out a survey with the care and development director at this inspection. This considered whether the service used any restrictive intervention practices (restraint, seclusion and segregation) when supporting people.

The service rarely used restrictive intervention practices and then only as a last resort. When these practices were used it was in a person-centred way, in line with positive behaviour support principles.

People’s experience of using this service and what we found

The premises were clean and well maintained. We made a recommendation in relation to the risk assessment of radiator covers.

People told us the service was safe. There had been a lot of staff changes and this had been unsettling for people. However, safe staffing levels had been maintained and the provider was recruiting new staff.

People’s needs were assessed, and their care plans and risk assessments were detailed. This helped to make sure care was person-centred.

People’s communication needs were assessed and where needed appropriate support was provided.

People were supported by kind and caring staff, who promoted their independence.

People were supported to eat and drink a balanced diet which took account of their needs and preferences. People were supported to stay healthy and to access the full range of NHS services.

People were supported 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.

People were supported to maintain relationships with family and friends. People took part in a variety of social activities in the home and in the community. The service was planning how to give people more opportunities to get involved in the local community.

The provider had systems in place to check the quality and safety of the services provided. Any shortfalls we found during the inspection had already been identified and were being dealt with. There was a service improvement plan in place.

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

Rating at last inspection and update

The rating at the last inspection was requires improvement (Published 28 August 2018) and there were two breaches of regulation. The provider completed an action plan after the last inspection to show what they would do and by when to improve. At this inspection we found improvements had been made and the provider was no longer in breach of regulations.

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.

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.