The Care Quality Commission
  • Care Home
  • Care home

Ridgecott

Overall: Good read more about inspection ratings

189 Ridgeway, Plympton, Plymouth, Devon, PL7 2HJ (01752) 337711

Provided and run by:
Peninsula Autism Services & Support Limited

All Inspections

13 January 2021

During an inspection looking at part of the service

Ridgecott is a residential care home and is registered to provide accommodation and support for people with a learning disability and/or autism. The service is registered to support a maximum of 10 people. At the time of the inspection there were 10 people living at the service.

Visitors to the home were not in all cases wearing Protective Personal Equipment (PPE) in line with government guidance. The registered manager addressed this concern immediately at the time of the inspection.

At the time of the inspection decorating was taking place in communal parts of the home. This was making it difficult for staff and people to effectively follow social distancing and hygiene practices. For example, staff were not easily able to access hand-washing facilities. We spoke with the provider at the time of the inspection and they assured us that this concern would be addressed, and plans for on-going decorating in the service would cease at the current time.

We found the following examples of good practice.

The provider participated in regular COVID-19 testing of people, staff and visitors. This ensured action could be taken swiftly to reduce the potential spread of infection if a positive test was returned. Risk assessments were completed for all people and staff and additional measures put in place when people had been assessed at higher risk of infection.

The environment was very clean. Additional cleaning was taking place including frequently touched surfaces. Infection control audits were carried out.

People were supported to maintain contact with their family and friends through the use of social media platforms and regular phone calls. When possible people had been supported to access the community safely with the use of face coverings and hand sanitisers provided.

The registered manager kept up to date with appropriate training in infection control. The registered manager ensured all staff had completed training to ensure they knew how to keep people safe during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The registered manager and provider ensured people living in the service, and staff, had access to additional support, including one-to-one meetings and contact by phone, to offer any emotional support needed.

Further information is in the detailed findings below.

7 March 2020

During a routine inspection

About the service

Ridgecott is a residential care home providing personal and nursing care to 10 adults with a learning disability or autism at the time of the inspection. The service can support up to 10 people.

The service has been developed and designed in line with the principles and values that underpin Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. This ensures that people who use the service can live as full a life as possible and achieve the best possible outcomes. The principles reflect the need for people with learning disabilities and/or autism to live meaningful lives that include control, choice, and independence. People using the service receive planned and co-ordinated person-centred support that is appropriate and inclusive for them.

The service was a large home, bigger than most domestic style properties. It was registered for the support of up to 10 people. 10 people were using the service. This is larger than current best practice guidance. However, the size of the service having a negative impact on people was mitigated by the building design fitting into the residential area and the other large domestic homes of a similar size. There were deliberately no identifying signs, intercom, cameras, industrial bins or anything else outside to indicate it was a care home. Staff were also discouraged from wearing anything that suggested they were care staff when coming and going with people.

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

The service took measures to safeguard people from abuse through staff training, good communication and a robust recruitment process. Families told us their loved one was safe living in Ridgecott.

People appeared relaxed and happy when we spent time in communal areas and staff were jovial and caring. There were lots of activities inside the service for people to do and opportunities to go out with staff to shops, cafes and places of local interest.

Risks that people faced were assessed and guidance given by health and social care professionals was followed. People had their needs met by staff who had completed mandatory training and knew their needs well. Care plans were person centred and people were having their preferences met.

Medicines were managed safely, and people had access to health services. Staff supported people to attend appointments and advocated on their behalf where needed.

The environment was regularly checked for maintenance issues and cleanliness. We made a recommendation the service review how their laundry is set up in line with best practise guidance.

Staff told us they felt supported and there were enough of them to meet the needs of people. There were robust quality assurance processes in the service. The registered manager had a good overview of people’s needs, what the strengths of the service were and had ideas on how to enhance the experience of people living in the service. Regulatory requirements were being met.

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.

The service applied the principles and values of Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. These ensure that people who use the service can live as full a life as possible and achieve the best possible outcomes that include control, choice and independence.

The outcomes for people using the service reflected the principles and values of Registering the Right Support by promoting choice and control, independence and inclusion. People's support focused on them having as many opportunities as possible for them to gain new skills and become more independent.

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

Rating at last inspection

The last rating for this service was good (published 18 August 2017).

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.

24 July 2017

During a routine inspection

Ridgecott is a residential care home providing accommodation and support to people with a learning disability, and associated conditions such as Autism. The service is registered to accommodate and support a maximum of ten people. At the time of the inspection ten people were living in the home. Three separate flats were available for people who had been assessed as requiring more specific or separate living arrangements. The flats provided people with their own bedroom, lounge and bathroom facility. People living in the separate flats were able to access communal parts of the home with support from staff, and dependent on their care plan arrangements. Two separate garden areas were available and people accessed these either independently or with support from staff.

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, thet are ‘registered person’s. 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.

At the last inspection, the service was rated as Good.

At this inspection we found the service remained Good in all areas.

People remained safe at the service. There were sufficient staff available to meet people's needs and to keep them safe. Staffing levels were reviewed regularly and adjusted when people’s needs changed. Risk assessments had been completed to enable people to retain their independence and receive care with minimum risk to themselves or others. People received their medicines safely. Health and safety audits were completed in relation to people’s care, lifestyle and the environment.

People continued to receive care from staff who had the skills and knowledge required to effectively support them. Staff were competent and well trained. People had the support needed to have maximum choice and control of their lives. Staff supported people in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

People's healthcare needs were monitored by the staff and people had access to a variety of healthcare professionals. People were supported to eat and drink enough and were able to maintain a balanced diet. Staff understood any risks associated with eating and guidelines were in place in relation to choking hazards and other dietary needs.

There was a warm, caring and relaxed atmosphere in the home. We observed staff being patient and kind. Staff were attentive to people’s needs and understood when people needed reassurance, praise or guidance. People’s privacy was respected and staff worked hard to help ensure people felt valued and an important part of their home and local community.

The service remained responsive to people's individual needs and provided personalised care and support. People were able to make choices as much as possible in their day to day lives, and progress was encouraged and celebrated. People were supported to lead a full and active lifestyle, and activities were planned to meet individual needs and personal requests.

The service remained well led. Staff and relatives told us the registered manager was approachable and supportive. The registered manager had an active role within the home and maintained their own professional development by attending regular training and by keeping themselves updated with best practice. The views of people, relatives and other agencies were sought to make sure people were at the heart of any changes within the home. The registered manager and provider had a formalised auditing system in place to monitor the quality of the service and to identify any improvements needed.

Further information is in the detailed findings below

23 & 24 June 2015

During a routine inspection

The inspection took place on the 23 and 24 June 2015 and was unannounced.

Ridgecott provides care and accommodation for up to ten people. On the day of the inspection there were ten people living in the home. Ridgecott provides care for people with a learning disability and associated conditions such as Autism and Aspergers.

The service had 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.

Relatives and other agencies spoke highly of the care provided at Ridgecott. Comments included,

“[…] is so happy at Ridgecott, […] see’s staff as her family, and they welcome me and keep me well informed and included”, and “It seems like a lovely place to work, residents and staff are always happy”.

Staff had a good understanding of people’s needs and support plans included clear information about how people chose and preferred to be supported. We observed many examples of people being supported to make choices and have control over their care and lifestyle. For example, we saw people choosing what they wanted to eat and when they wanted to get up. We also observed staff responding promptly when people became anxious and asking for people’s consent before supporting people with medicines and personal care.

People’s needs and support had not in all cases been assessed and planned in a person centred way. Some of the arrangements intended to protect people and keep them safe, such as key pads on the entrance to the kitchen and some communal areas may have limited people’s opportunity to develop their skills and independence.

Staffing levels had been organised in a way to keep people safe. All of the staff we spoke to said there were enough staff available to keep people safe. Although staff worked hard to spend time with people and support people to partake in activities there were not always enough staff available to respond to individual requests to go out or partake in a certain activity.

People were protected by staff who knew how to recognise signs of possible abuse. Staff were able to talk confidently about the action they would take if they identified potential abuse had taken place.

People had their medicines managed safely. People received their medicines on time and in a way they chose and preferred. People’s health and well-being was paramount, and systems were in place so staff could recognise changes in people’s health and take prompt action when required. The food in the home was of a high standard and catered for people’s special dietary needs and preferences.

People were supported by safe and robust recruitment practices. People were involved in the recruitment process and their views were taken into account when appointing new staff. Staff undertook training, which was specific to the needs of people they supported.

Care and support focussed on each person’s individual needs, their likes, dislikes and routines important to them. When people were unable to consent to their care or support, discussions took place to ensure decisions were made in the person’s best interest. When people’s needs changed staff reacted promptly involving other health and social care professionals if needed.

Staff felt well supported by their colleagues and management. They were supported and encouraged to question practice and were inspired and motivated to provide a good quality service. The registered manager had an active role in the home and lines of accountability and responsibilities were clearly communicated.

There were effective quality assurance systems in place. Incidents were appropriately recorded and analysed. Learning from incidents and concerns raised had been used to help drive continuous improvement across the service.

11 December 2013

During a routine inspection

There were nine people living at the home on the day of our visit. We spent time with most of the people at various stages of our visit. Due to the complex needs of people, we were unable to speak with them in a meaningful way to tell us what they thought of the home and the care they received. We therefore used a number of different methods to gather information about people's views and experiences of the service. We spent a large amount of time observing people in the home and how they were supported by staff. This helped us decide if people were happy living at the home.

The home had a friendly, welcoming and homely atmosphere. Throughout our visit, we saw that people at the home appeared comfortable and at ease with the staff who supported them. There was a jovial and relaxed banter with much humour. People appeared well cared for. Two people were able to tell us they were happy there.

Each person had a plan of care in place which was regularly reviewed. Risk assessments were in place but would benefit by containing more information to guide staff. Any specialist advice was sought from the relevant care professionals.

People had meals which were varied, appealing and wholesome.

People lived in a home that was safe and suitable to their needs, choices and abilities.

Before people began work at the home, they had the necessary recruitment checks undertaken.

The home had a comprehensive complaints procedure in place.

29 May and 14 August 2012

During a routine inspection

People using the service had very complex needs. This meant that it was difficult for people to tell us what they thought of the home and the care they received.

We used a number of different methods to gather information about people's views and experiences of the service. We observed people in the home and while they were being supported by staff. This helped us decide if people were happy with the way they were being supported and cared for. We also spoke to relatives about their views and experiences of the service. After the visit we spoke to other agencies such as Social Services and other Health professionals who had had involvement with the organisation and people living in the home.

The home had three self-contained flats, which were being used by people who had been assessed as requiring this type of facility. During our visit we were able to meet all of the people who lived in the residential part of the home and two people who had their own self contained flat.

The manager informed us that there were changes being made to the management and running of the service. We were told that the service was in a period of transition and policies and procedures were being updated to reflect these changes.

Staff and relatives we spoke to said that they were being kept well informed of any changes and they felt confident that the Registered Manager would take into consideration the impact any changes may have on people currently using the service.

During our visit we saw that staff treated people respectfully at all times, promoting independence and choice whenever possible.

Other agencies we spoke to said that the staff at Ridgecott worked well as a team and when asked were able to provide detailed and clear information about the people they support.

The manager and staff were aware of people's rights and we saw examples of when meetings had taken place to ensure that decisions being made were in the best interests of the person concerned. We did raise our concern about a locking device leading into the flat of one person using the service and that this may restrict them and deprive them of their rights to move freely around their home. We asked the manager to look at this issue as a matter of priority.

The day after our visit the manager informed us that a meeting had been planned to discuss this issue with all agencies involved in the persons care including their family. We have since received information from Social Services about this meeting and feel that the manager has responded promptly and appropriately to our concerns to ensure that any arrangements for this person within the service are safe and in their best interests.

We found that people engage in a range of activities inside and outside the home. On the day of our visit some people had been to a music group and others were enjoying sitting in the garden area chatting with staff and planning activities for the rest of the day.

The staff we spoke to were able to tell us about different types of abuse, and what they needed to do to keep people safe. They were able to tell us what they would do if they suspected that abuse or any type of poor practice had occurred within the home.