Irchester 170

Updated 30 December 2025

Date of inspection: 20 January 2026. The reason for the inspection was to follow up on previous regulatory breaches. The provider was previously in breach of legal regulations in relation to safe care and treatment, safeguarding, safe and effective staffing, person-centred care and good governance. Improvements were found at this inspection, and the provider was no longer in breach of these regulations.

Irchester 170 is a residential service that provides accommodation for people who require personal care and support to people with learning disabilities and/or autism. At the time of inspection, the service supported 6 people who lived at the service.

We expect providers to ensure that people with a learning disability and autistic people receive care that promotes dignity, equality, choice and independence, and that they can access the same high‑quality services within their communities as everyone else. Right support, right care, right culture is the framework CQC uses when assessing services for people with a learning disability and autistic people, and providers are required to have regard to this guidance in how they design, deliver and evaluate their care.

At our previous inspection, we found people could experience periods of emotional distress and the risks associated with supporting them safely during these times were not consistently assessed or planned for. Although some staff had received accredited training in supporting people experiencing emotional distress, further development was required in the use of positive behaviour support approaches. Since our last inspection, these areas have improved. Staff were now better supported and had received relevant training to help them respond safely and effectively when people become distressed. The provider had strengthened its approach by embedding positive behaviour support practices and continued to work alongside partner organisations to ensure guidance reflects current best practice.

The provider had strengthened its learning culture, and notable improvements had been made in the way incidents were reviewed and analysed. Themes, patterns and trends were now consistently identified, and learning was routinely acted upon. This had given the registered manager significantly improved oversight of incident management processes, ensuring reviews were robust and resulted in meaningful changes to practice. This enhanced and more systematic approach had embedded reflective learning across the service and reduced the likelihood of incidents recurring, demonstrating clear and sustained progress since our last inspection.

Positive changes had been made to strengthen staff support, training and overall compliance. Staff now received regular, ongoing training and guidance, and they spoke positively about the support available to them. Training records showed the service was consistently meeting the provider’s compliance requirements, representing a marked improvement since the last inspection. Staff continued to receive routine safeguarding training and demonstrated a clear understanding of their responsibilities in recognising, reporting and responding to risks of abuse or avoidable harm.

This service has been in Special Measures since 11 November 2024. The provider demonstrated improvements that have been made. The service is no longer rated as inadequate overall or in any of the key questions. Therefore, this service is no longer in Special Measures

Updated 30 December 2025

Due to people’s communication needs, we were unable to obtain direct verbal feedback about their experiences of care. To ensure we gathered meaningful insight, we spent time with people and observed their interactions with staff. These observations enabled us to assess the quality of support being provided and the nature of relationships within the service. We saw staff engaging with people in a kind, respectful and patient manner, consistently promoting choice and independence throughout daily routines. People’s responses, demeanour and body language indicated they were relaxed, comfortable and at ease with the staff supporting them. This gave us assurance that, despite communication barriers, people were receiving person‑centred care delivered in a way that met their individual needs.

Relatives told us that opportunities for people to go out and take part in activities they enjoyed had improved significantly. They described a noticeable increase in meaningful engagement both within the home and in the community. One relative said, “There have been positive changes which make the placement a safe place, with a nice garden and lots more opportunities to get out in the community, such as disco, tuck shop and bowling, swimming and other activities.” This feedback reflected the progress we observed and demonstrated that people were now experiencing a more active, fulfilling and inclusive daily life.

Relatives consistently expressed high levels of confidence in the safety and quality of care their family members received. They told us they had seen clear improvements in the service, particularly in staff practice and leadership. One relative commented, “In recent months there have been several changes. Since then, I have seen a huge difference in [relative’s] demeanour. Staff training has improved and the leadership has improved.” A second relative said, “Recently the management team has strengthened, and staff have contributed to positive changes, which are noticeable” This feedback reflected the positive progress made since our last inspection and reinforced the improvements we observed during our visit.