Archived: Ridgemoor

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.

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

People were not always supported to be safe. Fire prevention measures were not always taken and staff instruction of what to do in the event of a fire had not been up-dated.

Infection control measures were not always followed to prevent cross-infection.

The provider’s quality audits had failed to identify shortfalls and risks for the people living at the home, putting people at unnecessary risk of harm

Staff had not received regular training to support them in their role and /or put their knowledge from training into practice to effectively reduce cross infections.

Not all staff were kind and caring. Some staff spoke in an uncaring way about the people they were supporting.

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 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.

We have identified two breaches of regulation in relation to safe care and treatment and governance at this inspection.

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 30 May 2017].

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.

We have found evidence that the provider needs to make improvement. Please see the Safe, Effective, Caring and Well-Led sections of this full report.

Please see the action we have told the provider to take at the end of this report.

Full information about CQC’s regulatory response to the more serious concerns found during inspections is added to reports after any representations and appeals have been concluded

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.

We will request an action plan for the provider to understand what they will do to improve the standards of quality and safety. We will work alongside the provider and local authority to monitor progress. We will return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.

Ridgemoor provides accommodation and personal care for up to eight adults with physical and or learning disabilities. The home consists of two bungalows accommodating four people each, which is located within a residential housing estate in Leominister. At the time our inspection, there were eight people using the service.

The provider registered the service with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) on 29 July 2016, and had therefore not been previously inspected.

At the time of the inspection there was a registered manager in place at Ridgemoor. 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. The registered manager was present throughout the inspection visit.

Care plans for people had not been consistently reviewed or updated to reflect people’s current needs, since the new provider had started. Some care plans had not been updated in almost two years.

Most relatives told us the provider had not involved them in decisions about the care and support their family members' received. Whilst they had been involved in annual reviews in the past, these had not taken place for several years. A number of relatives we spoke with told us that they were not in regular contact with staff and did not feel consulted about their relative’s care.

The registered manager and two deputy managers divided their time and responsibility between two homes operated by the provider. Whilst most staff spoke positively about the contribution made by the management team, others complained they had no confidence in the management. They believed management focused their time on the other home, and were difficult to contact as a result. They also felt communication was poor and felt unsupported.

Staff knew how to recognise and report abuse to the provider. Systems were in place to protect people who lived at the home by ensuring appropriate referrals were made and action taken to keep people safe.

The provider had appropriate recruitment procedures in place, which ensured staff were suitable to support people who used the service.

The risks connected with people's care and support needs had been individually assessed.

People were supported by sufficient numbers of staff to safely meet their needs.

People were supported safely with their medicines. Only staff who had received training and been assessed as competent were able to support people with their medicines.

Staff had received training to give them the skills and knowledge they needed to meet people's needs. These skills were kept up to date through regular training.

Staff respected people's right to make their own decisions and supported them to do so.

Staff adopted a caring and compassionate approach towards their work with people. Staff treated people in a dignified and respectful manner. People were encouraged to make choices and be independent.

Relatives told us that staff supported their family members to pursue activities and ensured people were mentally stimulated.

There was a system in place to capture and respond to complaints and feedback.

The provider had systems in place which assessed and monitored the quality of care and support staff provided at the home.