Ridgecott

Updated 13 February 2021

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 13 January 2021 and was unannounced.

Updated 13 February 2021

About the service

Ridgecott is a residential care home providing personal and nursing care to 10 adults with a learning disability or autism at the time of the inspection. The service can support up to 10 people.

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.

The service was a large home, bigger than most domestic style properties. It was registered for the support of up to 10 people. 10 people were using the service. This is larger than current best practice guidance. However, the size of the service having a negative impact on people was mitigated by the building design fitting into the residential area and the other large domestic homes of a similar size. There were deliberately no identifying signs, intercom, cameras, industrial bins or anything else outside to indicate it was a care home. Staff were also discouraged from wearing anything that suggested they were care staff when coming and going with people.

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

The service took measures to safeguard people from abuse through staff training, good communication and a robust recruitment process. Families told us their loved one was safe living in Ridgecott.

People appeared relaxed and happy when we spent time in communal areas and staff were jovial and caring. There were lots of activities inside the service for people to do and opportunities to go out with staff to shops, cafes and places of local interest.

Risks that people faced were assessed and guidance given by health and social care professionals was followed. People had their needs met by staff who had completed mandatory training and knew their needs well. Care plans were person centred and people were having their preferences met.

Medicines were managed safely, and people had access to health services. Staff supported people to attend appointments and advocated on their behalf where needed.

The environment was regularly checked for maintenance issues and cleanliness. We made a recommendation the service review how their laundry is set up in line with best practise guidance.

Staff told us they felt supported and there were enough of them to meet the needs of people. There were robust quality assurance processes in the service. The registered manager had a good overview of people’s needs, what the strengths of the service were and had ideas on how to enhance the experience of people living in the service. Regulatory requirements were being met.

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 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 by promoting choice and control, independence and inclusion. People's support focused on them having as many opportunities as possible for them to gain new skills and become more independent.

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 (published 18 August 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.