Archived: Cottage Farm

Updated 28 February 2017

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection checked 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 the 3 and 6 February 2017 and was unannounced. The inspection was carried out by one Inspector. This was because this is a small service with people who had profound and complex needs.

Before our inspection we contacted three health and social care professionals in relation to the care provided at Cottage Farm. During our inspection we spoke with three staff including the registered manager. Following our inspection we spoke with four relatives by telephone.

People living at Cottage Farm were not able to verbally communicate their views to us or answer our direct questions. 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 looked at the provider’s records. These included five people’s care records, four staff files, a sample of audits, staff attendance rosters, and policies and procedures.

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 last inspected the home in February 2015 when we identified one breach in relation to Regulation 9 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities).

Updated 28 February 2017

The inspection took place on the 3 and 6 February 2017 and was unannounced.

The service had a registered manager. 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.

The provider had systems in place to respond and manage safeguarding matters and make sure safeguarding concerns were raised with other agencies.

There were appropriate arrangements in place for supporting people to manage their finances. Daily checks of people’s monies were carried out to reduce the risk of financial abuse.

Relatives and health care professionals told us people were cared for safely at the home and if they had any concerns they were confident these would be quickly addressed by the staff or registered manager.

Assessments were in place to identify risks that may be involved when meeting people’s needs. Staff were aware of people’s individual risks and were able to tell of the strategies’ in place to keep people safe.

People were supported to maintain their independence in areas such as personal care and activities of daily living such as shopping, cooking, cleaning and laundry.

There were sufficient numbers of qualified, skilled and experienced staff deployed at all times to meet people’s needs. Staff were not hurried or rushed and when people requested care or support, this was delivered quickly. The provider operated safe and effective recruitment procedures.

Staff were supported in their role and had been through the provider’s own induction programme and received supervision and appraisals providing them with appropriate support to carry out their roles

Medicines were ordered, stored, administered and disposed of safely.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) monitors the operation of the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) which applies to care homes. At the time of our inspection five people living at the home were subject to a DoLS and the provider was complying with the conditions applied to the authorisation. The manager understood when an application should be made and how to submit one.

Where people lacked the mental capacity to make decisions the home was guided by the principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 to ensure any decisions were made in the person’s best interests.

People were involved in their care planning. Staff supported people with health care appointments and visits from health care professionals. Care plans were updated accordingly to show any changes. Care plans were routinely reviewed to check they were up to date.

People were treated with kindness. Staff were patient and encouraged people to do what they could for themselves, whilst allowing people time for the support they needed.

Staff said they enjoyed working at the service and received good support from the registered manager.

Relatives and health care professionals had confidence in the registered manager and staff to deliver good care.