The Chantry

Updated 2 September 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.

This was a targeted inspection looking at the infection control and prevention measures the provider has in place. As part of CQC’s response to the coronavirus pandemic we are conducting a thematic review of infection control and prevention measures in care homes.

This inspection took place on 14 August 2020 and was announced. The service was selected to take part in this thematic review which is seeking to identify examples of good practice in infection prevention and control.

Updated 2 September 2020

About the service: The Chantry 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 accommodation was over two floors. The service is a detached property located on a private road. All the bedrooms are single occupancy with an en-suite facility. Kitchens are included in some of the bedrooms other people have access to small kitchenette areas. There are communal rooms including an activities room, snoozelyn room and fully enclosed garden. At the time of our inspection there were 13 people in residence.

The care service has been developed and designed in line with the values that underpin the 'Registering the Right Support' and other best practice guidance. These values include choice, promotion of independence and inclusion and promote people with learning disabilities and autism using the service to live as ordinary a life as any citizen.

People's experience of using this service:

• People received exceptional person-centred, responsive care from staff who had a clear understanding of their support needs. Support plans were in place, which provided detailed and refined information about the care people required.

• People felt safe and staff ensured that risks to their health and safety were reduced. We found that sufficient staff were deployed to safely meet people’s needs and that staff had received detailed training to ensure they had the knowledge to protect people from the risk of avoidable harm or abuse, whilst providing care.

• People were protected from the risk of infection. The service ensured staff were trained to keep the environment clean and staff followed policies and procedures to monitor and reduce the risk.

• Systems were in place to support people to take their medicines safely. Staff received relevant training and felt well supported. People were asked for their consent to their care and appropriate steps were taken to support people who lacked capacity to make decisions.

• People were supported to eat and drink enough to maintain good health.

• We saw there were positive and caring relationships between people using the service and the staff who cared for them. Staff promoted people's rights and to make their own decisions about their care wherever possible.

• People were 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 supported this practice.

• People were treated with dignity and respect by staff who understood the importance of this.

• People’s relatives knew how to make a complaint and there was a clear complaints procedure in place.

• The service had effective measures in place to support people when they reached the end of their life and ensure their wishes and needs were planned for.

• An open and transparent culture enabled people and staff to speak up if they wished to. The management team provided strong leadership and a clear direction to staff.

• There were robust quality monitoring procedures in place. The management structure of the service was clear.

• People's safety had been considered and risks had been reduced by the introduction of equipment or guidance. Staff had received training in relation to safeguarding and knew how to protect people from harm.

• Information was provided in a range of formats to support people’s understanding.

• People’s cultural needs were recognised and supported.

• There was a registered manager at the home and the rating was displayed at the home and on their website. When required notifications had been completed to inform us of events and incidents, this helped us the monitor the action the provider had taken.

Rating at last inspection: Good (Published June 2016)

Why we inspected: This was a planned inspection based on the rating at the last inspection. At this inspection we found the service had retained a Good, and in one area improved to Outstanding.

Follow up: We will continue to monitor intelligence we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If any concerning information is received, we may inspect sooner.