We carried out a review of the data available to us about Croft Community on 6 July 2023. We have not found evidence that we need to carry out an inspection or reassess our rating at this stage.
This could change at any time if we receive new information. We will continue to monitor data about this service.
If you have concerns about Croft Community, you can give feedback on this service.
People’s care and housing are provided under separate contractual agreements. CQC does not regulate premises used for supported living; this inspection looked at people’s personal care and support.
Croft Community provides care and support to people living in 11 shared houses, self-contained flats and houses in multiple occupancy on the main site and around the market town of Malton. Houses in multiple occupation are properties where at least three people in more than one household share toilet, bathroom or kitchen facilities.
Not everyone using Croft Community receives a regulated activity; CQC only inspects the service being received by people provided with personal care; help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do we also take into account any wider social care provided. At the time of our inspection there were 37 people receiving support, nine of whom receive support linked to a regulatory activity.
People’s experience of using this service: Although the care service provides accommodation for people on a campus style setting, it was clear the outcomes for people using the service were extremely positive. They reflected the principles and values of registering the right support. People who used the services were actively involved in the ongoing development and design of their services. They were encouraged and supported to participate fully in the local community and had easy access to the health and social care services the local community used. People’s support focused on them having as many opportunities as possible for them to gain new skills and become more independent.
People were supported to lead connected, fulfilled lives and make informed choices in line with the provider’s aims. As well as many work, leisure and educational opportunities on offer people had developed shopping and library schemes locally. This demonstrated the strong links they enjoyed within the wider community.
People could join one of the many initiatives to enable them to be fully involved in their care and support, monitor quality and safety of the service and drive improvement. Examples included the ‘Learn to Lead’ initiative, quality audit reviewer and the road safety video people had produced. Staff worked proactively to respond to changing needs to promote people’s independence and wellbeing. The emphasis of support was towards enabling people and this led to people feeling fulfilled and leading an active life.
Staff had taken an innovative approach to help people understand issues of change, loss and bereavement through drama workshops. People could access technology with appropriate support and safeguards in place. They were supported to maintain links with family and friends. Regular family days gave people the opportunity to meet, share ideas and feedback and celebrate achievements. One relative summed up the quality of care thus, “The Croft is a shining example of how things can be done really well.”
People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.
For more details, please see the full report on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk.
Rating at last inspection: Good (report published 29 June 2016).
Why we inspected: This inspection was a scheduled inspection based on the previous rating.
Follow up: We will continue to monitor intelligence we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If any concerning information is received we may inspect sooner.
Croft Community is a supported living service registered to provide personal care to adults with a learning disability or autistic spectrum disorder who may also be living with dementia, mental ill health, sensory impairment or a physical disability. Dementia is an umbrella term used to describe the range of conditions that cause changes in memory and other cognitive abilities that are severe enough to interfere with daily life. The service does not offer nursing care.
Croft Community is based in the market town of Malton. Homes are provided within a community which consists of nine houses in different areas of Malton. Some are supported by staff twenty four hours a day and others are single flats close to the larger houses encouraging the development of people’s independence. Some properties are situated on the main site which is open to everyone who lives within the Croft Community. At the main site there are also communal facilities and workshops where people spend all or part of their days working or socialising. The community run a café in Malton where they sell goods made by people who use the service.
There were 30 people receiving personal care and support on the day we inspected. There was a registered manager employed at this service who had been registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) in September 2013. 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.
Staff were recruited safely and appropriate recruitment checks were carried out before they started work at the service. There was sufficient staff on duty to meet the needs of the people who used the service. The staff received an in depth induction and on-going training throughout their employment at the service. They were supported by more senior staff through supervision and an annual review.
Staff could recognise different types of abuse and knew how to alert someone if they witnessed anyone being harmed. They had received training in this subject and the organisation had policies and procedures in place to support them.
Risk assessments were in place for people’s health and welfare needs as well as detailed management plans where appropriate. In addition there were risk assessments highlighting any environmental risks to people.
The houses were safe, clean and well maintained. Any equipment was serviced according to guidance. Where people had been involved in accidents or incidents these had been recorded and reviewed monthly.
Medicines were managed safely within the houses. Some people kept their own medicines and others were administered by staff. Where appropriate people had risk assessments relating to their medicines management in place. These were taken with them if they visited family or transferred between services along with their hospital passport.
The service worked within the principles of the Mental Capacity Act where appropriate. People had choices about how they lived their lives.
People planned their menus, went shopping and cooked together in the houses. Where additional healthcare support was needed around eating and drinking this was sought through the persons GP.
The service was accessible and able to meet the needs of people with a physical disability. There was ramped access to each of the houses. Inside the corridors and doors were wide enough to accommodate wheelchairs. people had en suite wet rooms with grab rails and adapted toilets. The houses were secure with door entry systems to ensure unauthorised people did not enter the properties.
Staff were friendly and kind towards people. We observed many positive interactions. The service was enabling, supporting people to be independent through work, education and social interaction. People spoke positively of the care provided and told us they were treated with dignity and respect.
There were good community links through the café run in the town, conservation work and links with a local older people's service. There was clear partnership working with education and the learning disability service as well as internal links with other Camphill services.
There was an effective quality assurance system in place which encompassed key lines of enquiry used by CQC. This enabled the registered manager to identify issues and measure the delivery of care.