Archived: Cotswold

Updated 21 February 2017

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, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

This comprehensive inspection took place on 11 January 2017 and was unannounced. It was carried out by one inspector.

Prior to this inspection we reviewed the Provider Information Return (PIR), which contained information about the service and how the provider planned to develop and improve. We also reviewed other information which we held about the service including our previous report and statutory notifications which the provider had send us. Statutory notifications are pieces of information about important events which took place at the service such as safeguarding incidents or events which stopped the service, which the provider is obliged to send us. We also contacted the local authority, who have a commissioning role with the service.

We met with all five of the people who were living at the service. Due to the complexity of their needs and communication difficulties, none of them were able to talk to us and tell us their views or opinions of the care they received. We carried out observations of the interactions between people and members of staff, as well as the support that staff provided people with. We also 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. In addition, we received feedback from three family members of people who lived at the service.

We spoke with 4 members of care staff to seek their views and opinions of the service, as well as two team leaders and the registered manager.

We reviewed the care records for all five of the people living at the service to see if they were reflective of the care and support which they received. We also looked at staff records for three staff members, which included information about their recruitment, induction, training and supervision. We reviewed further records regarding the management of the service, including staff rotas and quality assurance procedures, to see how the service was run.

Updated 21 February 2017

Cotswold is a 5 bedded residential care home for people with autism and learning disabilities. The service supports people to access the community and to develop their independent living skills as much as possible. At the last inspection, the service was rated Good.

People were safe at the service. Staff knew about abuse and how to prevent and to report any concerns that they had. Risks to people were well-managed and staffing levels were sufficient to ensure people received the care they needed. People’s medicines were administered by the service and there were systems in place to ensure that this was done safely.

Staff had the training and support they needed for their roles. People are supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff support them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service support this practice. Nutritional needs were being met and people were supported to attend appointments with healthcare professionals.

There were positive relationships between people and members of staff. Staff adapted their communication and involved people and their families in decisions about their care. People’s privacy and dignity were maintained by members of staff.

Care was person-centred. People had individual care plans in place which provided staff with information about specific goals, preferences, needs and abilities. Activities were provided in the service and local community and the feedback of people and their family members, including complaints, was welcomed.

There was a positive culture at the service and staff members were motivated by their roles. The registered manager had a visible presence and was known to people, relatives and members of staff. There were quality assurance processes in place to monitor and review the care being provided.