Applegarth

Updated 16 January 2020

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 Care Act 2014.

Inspection team

One inspector carried out the inspection.

Service and service type

Applegarth is a 'care home'. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as single package under one contractual agreement. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

The service had a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. This means that they and the provider are legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided.

Notice of inspection

This inspection was unannounced.

What we did before the inspection

We looked at the information we held about the service, which included the provider’s statement of purpose and any notifications that the provider is required to send us by law. A statement of purpose is a document which includes a standard required set of information about a service. Notifications are changes, events or incidents that providers must tell us about. We reviewed feedback from the local authority who work with the service. We used this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We observed staff interactions with people. We spoke with three relatives by telephone. We spoke with the registered manager, the provider’s quality assurance lead, and two support workers. We reviewed a range of records including staffing, care plans, and quality audits.

Updated 16 January 2020

About the service

Applegarth is a care home that provides support for up to six people who have a sensory impairment and a learning disability or autistic spectrum. At the time of our inspection there were five people living at the home.

The service has been developed and designed in line with the principles and values that underpin Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. This ensures 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. People using the service receive planned and co-ordinated person-centred support that is appropriate and inclusive for them.

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

The staff at Applegarth were exceptionally kind and caring and had great empathy with the people they supported. They understood the challenges people faced each day and ran the home to ensure they led full and active lives. Staff knew people well and used a range of communication methods, some of which were unique, to ensure people were involved in decisions about their care and support.

People grew in independence and confidence at the home. They were outgoing, enjoying a range of activities and community life. Relatives said the quality of care and support provided was ‘outstanding’ and their family members flourished at the home. The home had a family atmosphere and staff and people trusted each other and took an interest in each other’s lives and families.

People were safe at the home and the staff knew how to reduce the risk of them coming to harm. A relative said, “I have absolute peace of mind because my [family member] is at the home.” There were always enough staff on duty to keep people safe . People had their medicines on time and all areas of home were clean and tidy. Menus were flexible and based on people’s likes and dislikes.

People’s care plans were personalised and reviewed and updated as necessary. Staff respected and celebrated people’s culture and diversity. People were supported to live the lives they wanted, develop their hobbies and interests, and, as far as possible, take control over their own lives.

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.

The registered manager provided excellent leadership at the home. They involved people, staff, and relatives in the way it was run and kept them up to date with progress and changes. They were proactive and ensured their regulatory responsibilities were met promptly and efficiently. Staff were well-trained and understood people’s needs and the support they required.

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

Rating at last inspection

The last rating for this service was Good (based on an inspection on 07 February 2017).

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.