Archived: Candle House

Updated 17 March 2020

The inspection

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (the Act) as part of our regulatory functions. We checked whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Act. We looked at the overall quality of the service and provided a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

Inspection team

The inspection team consisted of one inspector.

Service and service type

Candle House is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

The service did not have a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. This means the provider is legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided.

Notice of inspection

We gave the service 24 hours’ notice of the inspection. This was because the service is small, and people are often out, and we wanted to be sure there would be people at home to speak with us.

What we did before inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We sought feedback from the local authority and professionals who work with the service. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return. This is information providers are required to send us with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. This information helps support our inspections. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We observed the person living in the service during lunch and whilst being supported with an activity. We spoke with the manager. We 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.

We reviewed a range of records. This included the person’s care records and medication records. We looked at two staff files in relation to recruitment and staff supervision. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including safeguarding, complaints and health and safety records were reviewed.

After the inspection

We continued to seek clarification from the manager to validate evidence found. We looked at training data and quality assurance records. We spoke with two professionals who work with the service and contacted and received feedback from three further staff.

Updated 17 March 2020

About the service

Candle House is a residential care home providing personal care and accommodation to one person. The service is registered to provide support to one person only.

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. The person 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

The service was set up to accommodate one person and support them with their specific needs.

There were enough staff to meet the needs of the person living in the service and staff had worked there for several years. Staff were recruited safely using a robust process.

The building underwent regular safety checks and maintenance issues were resolved promptly. Risks the person faced and those they posed to themselves and others were assessed in detail and reviewed regularly.

The service was spotlessly clean, dust free and tidy. The environment was set up to encourage stimulation in some rooms and have a calming effect in others. It was highly personalised.

Staff were gentle and kind, and used touch, tone of voice and gesture appropriately to encourage and support the person living in the service.

Care plans were detailed and personalised and there were thoughtful and detailed records of support given. The person was supported to access the local community and take part in a range of activities.

The service was well-led. Regular checks were completed on the quality of the service, the day to day running was highly organised. There was no registered manager in post, but the covering manager was intending to apply for registration.

The person 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 service applied the principles and values of Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. These ensure that people who use the service can live as full a life as possible and achieve the best possible outcomes that include control, choice and independence.

The outcomes for the person using the service reflected the principles and values of Registering the Right Support by promoting choice and control, independence and inclusion. The persons support focused on them having as many opportunities as possible for them to gain new skills and become more independent.

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 4 September 2017).

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.

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.