We carried out a review of the data available to us about Options The Thicket on 6 July 2023. We have not found evidence that we need to carry out an inspection or reassess our rating at this stage.
This could change at any time if we receive new information. We will continue to monitor data about this service.
If you have concerns about Options The Thicket, you can give feedback on this service.
The Thicket is a specialist residential care home for adults with learning disabilities and complex needs located on the outskirts of Otley. The service consists of four self-contained apartments. There are communal areas within the complex for people to enjoy activities and social events. There is also a sensory room, a spa room with hot tub and a large garden. At the time of our visit there were four people using the service.
There was a registered manager in post. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Like registered providers, they are ‘registered persons’. Registered persons have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.
Robust systems and practices were in place to make sure people were safe within the ethos of positive risk taking for which detailed personal risk assessments were in place.
Safeguarding people was taken seriously and all staff were aware of how to recognise if people were at risk and what to do about it.
Systems for managing accidents and incidents were robust. All accidents and incidents were analysed at home and provider level to look at ways in which they could be avoided in the future and risks to people mitigated.
Medicines management was safe which helped ensure people received their medicines as prescribed.
Staff were recruited safely and told us their induction and shadowing was comprehensive and prepared them for their roles. We saw staff received the training and support they required to meet people’s needs. Training was based on best practice and guidance, so staff were provided with the most current information to support them in their work.
Staffing was arranged in line with the needs of the people who used the service. All people were supported on a one to one basis at all times with additional staff support for outings and activities.
Staff demonstrated a thorough knowledge of the Mental Capacity Act (MCA) and where deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) were in place there was a commitment to least restrictive and best practice.
People had choice about their meals and were supported to be involved in shopping and preparation.
Staff actively supported people to make sure they received excellent levels of healthcare intervention and support to make sure they experienced optimum levels of physical and psychological well-being. People who used the service each had a care file dedicated to their health needs.
Staff consistently supported people to experience new things and were proactive and creative in the ways they did this to ensure people’s lives were fulfilled. A relative told us staff were “particularly good at looking at different ways of supporting (relative) always analysing what worked well and working to their strengths.
The service provided to people was extremely personalised and responsive and focussed on making people’s quality of life as good as possible and all staff were fully engaged in this process. Each person had an ‘All about me’ file which had been drawn up with them and provided a clear picture of everything about the person including their needs, wishes, fears and aspirations.
The service demonstrated a commitment to person centred care and concentrated on positive outcomes for people. People’s personal achievements were celebrated.
A relative we spoke with told us “They put (name) at the centre of everything they do”.
Each person had an ‘All about me’ and a ‘How to support me’ file which clearly outlined the support people needed not just in their daily lives but also to fulfil their dreams and aspirations.
People were supported to engage in meaningful activities and staff supported and encouraged people in making choices about the activities they experienced.
Systems were in place for people to raise any concerns or complaints they had about the service. A relative told us “Management are very responsive to any questions or concerns we have, it’s a two way thing. We are delighted with the place.”
All of the staff we spoke with demonstrated that the vision and values of the service are to enable people to live their lives at their optimum level through a person centred approach where positive risk taking is promoted.
Management systems were in place to put people at the heart of the service with opportunities for all people involved to voice their opinions and suggestions.
We inspected The Thicket on18 February 2015 and the visit was unannounced. Our last inspection took place in September 2013 and at that time we found the home was meeting the regulations we looked at.
The Thicket is a specialist residential care home for adults with learning disabilities and complex needs located on the outskirts of Otley. The service consists has four self-contained apartments. There are communal areas within the complex for people to enjoy activities and social events.
There was a registered manager in post. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service and has the legal responsibility for meeting the requirements of the law; as does the provider.
Not everyone who lived at the home was able to communicate verbally therefore we observed how staff interacted with people over short periods of time throughout the day to ensure we caused only minimal disruption to their daily life. Two people who were able told us they enjoyed living at the home and staff were friendly and supportive.
Everyone who lived at the home was supported on a one to one or two to one staff ratio whilst in the home during the day and the same ratio when they access community based activities. This is because their complex needs mean they can exhibit behaviour that challenges which might put either themselves or others at risk of harm.
The organisations staff recruitment and selection procedures were robust which helped to ensure people were cared for by staff suitable to work in the caring professional. In addition all the staff we spoke with were aware of signs and symptoms which may indicate people were possibly being abused and the action they needed to take.
The staff had access to a range of training courses relevant to their roles and responsibilities and are supported to carry out their roles effectively though a planned programme of training and supervision.
People’s care plans and risk assessments were person centred and the staff we spoke with were able to tell us how individuals preferred their care and support to be delivered. Care plans and risk assessments are reviewed on a regular basis to make sure they provide accurate and up to date information.
Staff received training in the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards and were able to demonstrate a good understanding of when Best Interest Decisions need to be made to safeguard people.
People were encouraged to participate in a range of appropriate social, educational and leisure activities both within the home and the wider community and staff actively encouraged them to maintain and develop their daily living skills.
There was an effective quality assurance monitoring system in place which quickly identifies any shortfalls in the service and there are systems in place for staff to learn from any accident, incidents or complaints received.
We spoke with one representative of people who used the service. They said they were very happy with the care that was given. One person said 'She comes home for visits but is always happy to go back , they do get her doing quite a lot of activities. She also goes to a specific college which specialises in educating people with her condition. It's the ideal place for her to live'.
Staff said they had standardised methods to determine what types of care and treatment people wanted. The deputy manager said they had questionnaires which they used with people. She said one person was able to look at pictures and show what they liked, whilst someone else liked to look at words.
Staff also said that they interpreted people's likes and dislikes by observation of their body language and behaviour when they were being given care, or, when involved in certain activities. Staff had a very good understanding of people's needs and told us that people received good care and their needs were met.
Staff we spoke to had a clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities and were knowledgeable about the service. Staff said they had received specialist training to understand how to meet people's needs.
Staff we spoke to had a good understanding of what constituted abuse and that how they would report it to the manager if they had any concerns. The deputy manager and team leader were familiar with the process of reporting any safeguarding concerns to the local safeguarding team and both had experience of using this process in the past. All of the staff said that they had received safeguarding training. This was supported by information in their training files.
We spoke with two representatives of people who used the service. They said people received appropriate care and support. One person said, 'They have made it a home for (name of person). I attend all reviews and am very happy with things.' Another person said, 'The young people are nice and clean, and well presented. The staff are kind, gentle and I take my hat off to them.'
They said overall communication with the service was good and people who used the service were encouraged to develop skills and independence. One representative said, 'I'm amazed how well everything has gone. The activities are brilliant.' Another representative said the service encouraged choice and made two suggestions of how the service could further develop. We shared the ideas with the deputy manager who said they would discuss these with the team and other representatives.
The representatives of people who used the service said staff had the right skills and knowledge to meet people's needs. One person said, 'The staff are very skilled, interact very well and have an excellent rapport with (name of person).'
Staff told us people received good care and their needs were appropriately met. They said people received individual support and effective systems were in place to make sure other agencies and professionals were involved when appropriate. They said every person had an activity programme which was centred on them and considered their individual circumstances.
One member of staff said, 'Everyone has an individually tailored programme. We carefully monitor these and really try to pick up any clues and indicators to help us understand what people want to do and what they enjoy. I think we do this very well.' Another member of staff said, 'We are constantly looking at how we can better people's lives. We look at activities, support and behaviours, and talk as a team and to families and other professionals.'