Archived: Apple Tree House

Updated 15 December 2016

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection was planned to check whether the provider is meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

This inspection took place on 15 and 16 November and the first day was unannounced. It was carried out by one adult social care inspector.

Before the inspection, the provider completed a Provider Information Return (PIR). This is a form that asks the provider to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We looked at the information in the PIR and also looked at other information we held about the home before the inspection visit.

People were unable to tell us their experiences of living at the home. Two people received two to one support and two people received one to one support. We therefore observed the support provided to people. We saw three care plans and associated documents, five staff files including the registered managers, staff rotas, medicines records, minutes of meetings, surveys, quality assurance audits and other management records. We spoke with three staff and the registered manager. We also spoke with a training assessor who visited staff completing health and social care qualifications. After the inspection, we spoke with three parents and three social workers.

Updated 15 December 2016

We undertook an unannounced inspection of Apple Tree House on 15 and 16 November 2016. At the time of our inspection four people were living in the home. Apple Tree House is a small care home providing personal care for up to four people with learning difficulties.

There is a registered manager in post. 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.

People had communication difficulties associated with their autism. We met three people who lived at the home. We were unable to speak with people using the service due to their highly complex needs. We therefore spoke with people’s relatives, staff and healthcare professionals to help form our judgements.

Relatives told us people were kept safe and free from harm. There were processes in place to help make sure people were protected from the risk of abuse and staff were aware of safeguarding vulnerable adult’s procedures.

Staff received regular training and were knowledgeable about their roles and responsibilities. They had the skills, knowledge and experience required to support people with their care and support needs.

There were suitable recruitment procedures and required employment checks were undertaken before staff began to work at the home. Staffing levels and skill mix were planned, implemented and reviewed to keep people safe at all times. Any staff shortages were responded to quickly and appropriately.

Systems, processes and standard operating procedures around medicines were reliable and appropriate to keep people safe. Monitoring the safety of these systems were robust.

Assessments were undertaken to assess any risks to the person using the service and to the staff supporting them. This included environmental risks and any risks due to the health and support needs of the person. The risk assessments we read included information about action to be taken to minimise the chance of harm occurring.

Staff knew the people they supported and provided a personalised service. Care plans were in place detailing how people wished to be supported and families were involved in making decisions about their care.

People were supported to eat and drink. Staff supported people to attend healthcare appointments and liaised with their GP and other healthcare professionals as required to meet people’s needs.

Staff told us the registered manager was accessible and approachable. Staff and relatives felt able to speak with the manager and provided feedback on the service.

The manager undertook spot checks to review the quality of the service provided and made any necessary improvements to the service.