Old School House

Updated 21 June 2018

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 comprehensive inspection took place on the 9 April 2018. We gave the service 48 hours’ notice of the inspection visit because it is small and we needed to be sure people and staff would be in. Two inspectors carried out the inspection.

Before the inspection, we reviewed information from two care managers, a speech and language therapist, and the local safeguarding co-ordinator. The Registered Manager had completed a Provider Information Return. This is information we require providers to send us at least once annually to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make.

We reviewed the last inspection report and other information including any notifications. Notifications are information we receive when a significant event happens, like a death or serious injury.

We spoke to the registered manager, a senior carer, two support staff, three people and four families. We also looked at a range of support documents including two care plans, activity plans, medical histories, medicine administration records, training records, staff files, supervision and appraisal records, policies and procedures, staff rotas, health and safety records and team meeting minutes.

We asked the provider to send us their business continuity plan and development plan after the inspection, which they did.

Updated 21 June 2018

The Old School House is a care home. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as single package under one contractual agreement. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection. The Old School House accommodates up to eight people with a learning disability who have expressed a wish to move towards independent living. On the day of our inspection there were eight people living at the service.

The care service has been developed and designed 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. People with learning disabilities and autism using the service can live as ordinary a life as any citizen.

At our last inspection we rated the service good. At this inspection we found the evidence continued to support the rating of good and there was no evidence or information from our inspection and ongoing monitoring that demonstrated serious risks or concerns. This inspection report is written in a shorter format because our overall rating of the service has not changed since our last inspection.

Why the service is rated Good

People were kept safe from abuse and harm. Staff had received safeguarding training and understood how to raise safeguarding concerns. Individual risk assessments gave staff with the information to reduce and manage risks to people wherever possible. Care plans were personalised with the details and information that staff needed to provide person centred support.

Staff were recruited safely, they were supervised and appraised by the registered manager. Staff felt supported to carry out their roles and there were sufficient numbers of staff to meet people’s needs.

Staff were trained and competent to ensure that medicines were stored and administered safely. The provider carried out regular audits to ensure that medicines were monitored correctly. The service worked proactively with local GPs and a range of professionals, to make sure people received the support they needed.

Staff knew people well and supported them with kindness and compassion. People were comfortable and relaxed, and there was a mutual sense of respect, dignity and equality.

Consent was obtained from people before any care or support was provided and this was recorded and kept under review. The provider and registered manager worked in line with the principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) and the associated Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS).

People understood how to complain. There was a complaints policy and forms in an accessible format. Staff understood the need to learn from complaints and respond to them as part of good care practice.

The service was well-led with a positive, empowering, person-centred culture that supported people to be independent. Quality was monitored and improvements made as required.

Further information is in the detailed findings below.