Dove House

Updated 10 February 2024

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (the Act) as part of our regulatory functions. We checked whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Act. We looked at the overall quality of the service and provided a rating for the service under the Health and Social Care Act 2008.

Inspection team

The inspection was carried out by 1 inspector and an Expert by Experience. An Expert by Experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of care service.

Service and service type

Dove House is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement. The Care Quality Commission (CQC) regulates both the premises and the care provided, and we looked at both during this inspection.

This service is required to have a registered manager. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. This means that they and the provider are legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided.

At the time of our inspection there was a registered manager in post.

Notice of inspection

We gave the service 1 day notice of the inspection. This was because it is a small service and we needed to be sure that a member of staff would be available to support the inspection.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We sought feedback from the local authority and professionals who work with the service. The provider was not asked to complete a Provider Information Return (PIR) prior to this inspection. A PIR is information providers send us to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with 4 people who used the service and 6 relatives about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with 5 members of staff including support workers, the registered manager, and an operations manager. We reviewed a range of records. This included 1 persons care records and multiple medication records. We looked at 2 staff files in relation to recruitment. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures were also reviewed.

Updated 10 February 2024

About the service

Dove House is a residential care home providing personal care to up to 4 people. The service provides support to people with a learning disability or autistic people. At the time of our inspection there were 4 people using the service.

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

We expect health and social care providers to guarantee autistic people and people with a learning disability the choices, dignity, independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted. Right Support, right care, right culture is the statutory guidance which supports CQC to make assessments and judgements about services providing support to people with a learning disability and/or autistic people.

Right Support: People were safeguarded from abuse and avoidable harm. The provider assessed risks to ensure people were safe. Staff took action to mitigate any identified risks. There were enough staff to meet peoples needs and staff had received training to support people with a learning disability. People received their medicines safely and were protected from risks of infection.

Right Care: People's capacity was assessed and they were able to make decisions about their care. The provider learned lessons and took action when things had gone wrong. People were supported by staff and a volunteer to access their local community for activities.

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.

Right Culture: Managers and staff were clear about their roles and understood their responsibilities. Relatives were able to visit without restriction and were kept informed. The provider and registered manager were open and transparent. The provider engaged with people and staff involved them with the running of the service. People and staff were encouraged to share and celebrate their own cultures.

Based on our review of safe and well led, the service was able to demonstrate how they were meeting the underpinning principles of “Right Support, Right Care, Right Culture.

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 28 September 2018).

Why we inspected

This inspection was prompted by a review of the information we held about this service.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.