Barton House

Updated 18 January 2023

The inspection

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (the Act) as part of our regulatory functions. We checked whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Act. We looked at the overall quality of the service and provided a rating for the service under the Health and Social Care Act 2008.

As part of this inspection we looked at the infection control and prevention measures in place. This was conducted so we can understand the preparedness of the service in preventing or managing an infection outbreak, and to identify good practice we can share with other services.

Inspection team

The inspection was carried out by 2 inspectors and an Expert by Experience who also spoke to relatives by telephone. An Expert by Experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of service.

Barton House is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing and/or personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement dependent on their registration with us. Barton House is a care home without nursing care. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

Registered Manager

This provider is required to have a registered manager to oversee the delivery of regulated activities at this location. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Registered managers and providers are legally responsible for how the service is run, for the quality and safety of the care provided and compliance with regulations.

At the time of our inspection there was a registered manager in post.

Notice of inspection

This inspection was unannounced.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed the information we had received about the service. We sought feedback from the local authority and professionals who work with the service. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return (PIR). This is information providers are required to send us annually with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. We used all this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with 2 people who use the service and 2 relatives to ask about their experience of care provided. We also spoke with the registered manager, the nominated individual, 5 staff and 2 professionals. We looked at 2 care files along with their medication administration records (MAR). We looked at the records relating to the management of the service including recruitment, staff training, supervision and systems for monitoring quality. We used the Short Observational Framework for Inspection (SOFI). SOFI is a way of observing care to help us understand the experience of people who could not talk with us.

The nominated individual is responsible for supervising the management of the service on behalf of the provider.

Updated 18 January 2023

About the service

Barton House is a residential care home providing personal care to up to 8 people. The service provides support to people who have a learning disability and/or autistic spectrum disorder, people who have sensory impairment and younger adults. At the time of our inspection there were 2 people using the service.

We expect health and social care providers to guarantee people with a learning disability and autistic people respect, equality, dignity, choices and independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted. ‘Right support, right care, right culture’ is the guidance CQC follows to make assessments and judgements about services supporting people with a learning disability and autistic people and providers must have regard to it.

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

Right Support:

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 personalise their bedrooms, and were given care and support in a safe, clean, well-furnished and well-maintained environment. Staff supported people with their medicines in a way that promoted their independence and achieved the best possible health outcomes. Staff enabled people to access specialist health and social care support in the community, and people understood the information given to them because staff supported them consistently and understood their individual communication needs.

Right Care:

People received kind and compassionate care. Relatives told us staff are caring and kind. Staff protected and respected people’s privacy and dignity and understood and responded to people’s individual needs. There was enough appropriately skilled staff to meet people’s needs and keep them safe. Staff understood how to protect people from poor care and abuse. Staff had training on how to recognise and report abuse and they knew how to apply it. People received care that supported their needs and aspirations, and was focused on their quality of life and followed best practice.

Right Culture:

Staff knew and understood people well and were responsive, supporting their aspirations to live a quality life of their choosing. People and those important to them, including advocates, were involved in planning their care. People’s quality of life was enhanced by the service’s culture of improvement and inclusivity. Staff ensured risks of a closed culture were minimised so that people received support based on transparency and respect.

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

Rating at last inspection

This service was registered with us on 1 October 2021 and this is the first inspection.

Why we inspected

This inspection was prompted by a review of the information we held about this service.

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, which will help inform when we next inspect.