Archived: Upfield

Updated 1 March 2022

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 Health and Social Care Act 2008.

As part of this inspection we looked at the infection control and prevention measures in place. This included checking the provider was meeting COVID-19 vaccination requirements. This was conducted so we can understand the preparedness of the service in preventing or managing an infection outbreak, and to identify good practice we can share with other services.

Inspection team

One inspector and an Expert by Experience carried out the inspection. An Expert by Experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of care service.

Service and service type

Upfield 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 had a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. This means that they and the provider are legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided.

Notice of inspection

This inspection was unannounced.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the home since the last inspection. We sought feedback from Healthwatch. Healthwatch is an independent consumer champion that gathers and represents the views of the public about health and social care services in England. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return (PIR). This is information providers are required to send us annually with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. We used all this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with and communicated with five people who used the service and six relatives about their experience of the care provided. People who lived in the home communicated with us using verbal communication, simplified Makaton, objects of reference and their body language. Makaton is a communication system which uses signs and symbols to help people to communicate. We spoke with six staff members, including the registered manager, assistant manager and support staff. We observed support provided to people by staff and interactions between people and staff. We reviewed one person’s support and care records and multiple individual medicines records. We also reviewed one staff file in relation to the pre-employment checks and staff training. We looked at a variety of quality and safety monitoring and management records as well.

After the inspection

We continued to review further evidence. This included one person’s support and care records, as well as the provider’s policies and procedures, infection prevention and control records and further quality and safety audits. We also reviewed staff training records, various people and staff meeting records and satisfaction survey outcomes.

Updated 1 March 2022

About the service

Upfield is a small residential care home providing accommodation and personal care support to up to six people living with learning disabilities and/or autism. At the time of the inspection six people lived in the home.

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

People and their relatives told us they felt safe in the home and could live the lives they wanted and enjoyed. There were enough well-trained and competent staff to support people in a flexible way meeting their needs.

People were valued and seen as individuals and their support was tailored to what they could and wanted to do, with positive risk taking being enabled and appropriate support in place when they found themselves in difficult-to-manage by themselves situations. People and their relatives told us staff were nice, caring and intuitive.

People received safe support to stay healthy. This included help to take their medicines, to access healthcare services when needed and to maintain a healthy, balanced diet.

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.

We expect health and social care providers to guarantee autistic people and people with a learning disability the choices, dignity, independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted. Right support, right care, right culture is the statutory guidance which supports CQC to make assessments and judgements about services providing support to people with a learning disability and/or autistic people.

The service was able to demonstrate how they were meeting the underpinning principles of Right support, right care, right culture.

Right support:

Model of care and setting maximised people’s choice, control and independence;

People were supported to do what they wanted and to live the lifestyle which met their preferences and supported their independence and learning new skills. They were also consulted and involved in who they lived with, how their home looked and how it was maintained and organised. Where people had moved into the home, they had had an opportunity to meet everyone and see if they liked it as part of the preparation.

Right care:

Care was person-centred and promoted people’s dignity, privacy and human rights;

People received personalised support which addressed their individual needs and risks respecting their unique personalities, wishes, preferences and interests. Staff supported people in a way which was seamless and gave control to people over how their day went. Staff respected people’s independence, privacy and dignity and involved them in their support.

Right culture:

Ethos, values, attitudes and behaviours of leaders and care staff ensured people using services led confident, inclusive and empowered lives;

People were supported to develop their skills, to manage their challenges and to enjoy what they liked doing. The atmosphere in the home was friendly, fun and homely and created by people living there. This was also recognised by people’s relatives who told us people felt at home. The management team and staff understood well who people were and what support they needed. When they spoke about people, they did that in a caring, appreciative and animated way.

The management team had good oversight of the quality and safety of the home environment and support provided and told us they were well supported by the provider. The managers continuously improved the home and listened to people, their relatives and staff when making changes. They were praised for their leadership and staff told us they worked well as a team.

For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk

Rating at last inspection

This service was registered with us on 9 May 2019 and this is the first inspection. The last rating for the service under the previous provider was good, published on 8 August 2017.

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection following the changes in registration.

We looked at infection prevention and control measures under the Safe key question. We look at this in all care home inspections even if no concerns or risks have been identified. This is to provide assurance that the service can respond to COVID-19 and other infection outbreaks effectively. This included checking the provider was meeting COVID-19 vaccination requirements.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.