• Care Home
  • Care home

Crockstead Farm House

Overall: Good read more about inspection ratings

Eastbourne Road, Halland, Lewes, East Sussex, BN8 6PT (01825) 840084

Provided and run by:
Ridgewood Care Services Limited

All Inspections

During an assessment under our new approach

The service is a care home. There were 5 people using the service at the time of the assessment.

Crockstead Farm House is a residential care home providing accommodation for up to 6 people who require nursing or personal care. The service is registered to provide support to younger adults and people living with learning disabilities and autistic people.

We carried out this assessment on 20 and 23 July 2026. This service was previously rated as good. We carried out this assessment to confirm whether the rating of good remains accurate. This report does not provide detailed information on areas where we found practice continues to meet a good standard. Instead, our findings focus on any areas where the service needs to improve or where we found exceptional practice.

People can only be deprived of their liberty to receive care and treatment with appropriate legal authority. In care homes, this can be done through a procedure called the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS), which is part of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA). We checked whether the service was working within the principles of the MCA and how they managed DoLS within the service. We found that staff and management worked within the MCA. DoLS authorisations were appropriately applied for and overseen. People were not subject to unlawful or excessive restrictions they had choice, control and freedom over their lives.

We have assessed the service against ‘Right support, right care, right culture’ guidance to make judgements about whether the provider guaranteed people with a learning disability and autistic people respect, equality, dignity, choices, independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted.

The registered manager shared learning form any trends or patterns identified from accidents, incidents and safeguarding. People lived at the home free from avoidable harm, supported by a staff team who knew how to identify and then manage any risks to people. The home environment enabled people to spend time in different areas as they wished. People chose to spend time with their peers or engaging in 1 to 1 activities and tasks as they wanted to. Staff had been recruited safely and were supported with ongoing supervision and team meetings, training and competency checks. Medicines were managed exceptionally well with regular reviews and an emphasis on reducing people’s medicines where safely possible.

People’s health and social care needs were comprehensively assessed before they moved into the home and were subject to regular reviews. People received the care and treatment they needed, when they needed it and there was an emphasis and culture at the home that promoted improving health and lifestyle outcomes for people. Staff understood the importance of gaining consent from people before supporting them with a task or activity.

People were supported by a kind and caring staff team who safely promoted their independence. Every interaction we saw between people and staff was positive. The home had a happy, friendly atmosphere where people were clearly treated with dignity and respect at all times.

Care was provided in a person centred way and this was further reflected in care plans. People and their choices and preferred routines were at the centre of any decision making. People communicated in different ways but every need was supported allowing everyone to have a voice at the home. People had choice around a variety of activities both at the home and in the community. Choices were always respected and if people changed their minds this was also understood.

The registered manager had a clear vision of the future of the home which continued to put people first. Clear auditing and quality assurances were in place which were continually being improved and added to. Any learning was shared with all staff.

22 March 2018

During a routine inspection

Crockstead Farm 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 home is registered to accommodate up to five people and provides care and support for three adults with learning disabilities and or autism. The home is sited in a rural area close to a small town and provides a homely environment for people, with access to a garden.

The inspection was announced and was carried out on 22 March 2018 by one inspector.

There was a registered manager in place. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the home. 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 home is run.

The care service is delivered 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 which ensure people using the service can live as ordinary life as any citizen.

People's medicines were managed safely. However, we found that the controlled drugs cabinet did not meet current specification. When we pointed this out to the provider and registered manager, they took immediate action to replace the cabinet and updated CQC when this was done. People received their medicines as prescribed by staff who had been trained to administer medicines safely.

People were kept safe; the registered manager and staff knew their responsibilities to report any concerns under safeguarding vulnerable adults and protect people from abuse.

There were sufficient staff deployed to meet people's needs and keep them safe, both at the home and while accessing the local community. Recruitment procedures were safe and supported the provider to make safer recruitments decisions to employ suitable staff.

Staff received training, supervision and appraisal to support them in their roles and to provide them with the required skills, knowledge and competencies.

Risks associated with people's health, safety and welfare had been identified and assessed, and guidance was in place to help staff to reduce those risks. Emergency and evacuation procedures were in place and staff understood what to do in the event of an emergency.

Staff understood the principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and worked within ensuring they sought people's consent and acted in people's best interest. Deprivation of liberty safeguards had been submitted to the local authority for authorisation when required.

People had access to health care services when required and were supported by staff to maintain their health and wellbeing. People were offered a choice of food and drink that met their dietary needs and personal choices.

People took part in a wide range of activities in line with their interests and personal goals. Staff were kind and caring and treated people with dignity and respect. People were encouraged to maintain important relationships with family and friends.

Systems were in place to monitor and assess the quality and safety of the service, including complaints and compliments. People and relatives were offered opportunities to feedback their views about the care provided and this was used to improve the service. However some policies and procedures had not been reviewed regular and contained outdated information. When we pointed this out to the provider they took immediate action to rectify this.

Staff felt very supported by the registered manager who was approachable and involved them in the development of the service. The registered manager understood their legal responsibilities under the Health and Social Care Act 2008, including submitting notifications of events as required to the Care Quality Commission.