Background to this inspection
Updated
14 December 2019
The inspection
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 Care Act 2014.
Inspection team
This inspection was carried out by one inspector.
Service and service type
Chestnut 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.
Notice of inspection
This inspection was unannounced
What we did before the inspection
We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. This information helps support our inspections and we used all of this information to plan our inspection.
The provider was not asked to complete a provider information return prior to this inspection. This is information we require providers to send us to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make.
During the inspection-
We spoke with five people who used the service, and three relatives about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with two members of support staff, the cook the registered manager and the regional manager
We reviewed a range of records. This included three people’s care records and multiple medication records. We looked at three staff files in relation to recruitment and staff supervision. We viewed a variety of records relating to the management of the service, including quality audits.
After the inspection –
We contacted the provider to ask for further information to support our report which they supplied.
Updated
14 December 2019
About the service;
Chestnut House is a residential care home providing personal and nursing care to people with mental health issues and/or learning difficulties. The service can support up to 33 people, at the time of our inspection 28 people were using the service.
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. However there were 7 flats which accommodation up to 14 people. ten people were living in the flats at the time of the inspection and 18 people were living in the main house
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
People lived in a safe environment where they were protected from potential abuse, the risks to their safety were assessed and managed to allow them to remain as independent as possible whilst staying safe.
They were supported by a group of staff who knew their needs and had appropriate training for their roles. People’s medicines were well managed and they were protected from the risks of infection. Their nutritional and health needs were well managed and the environment they lived in was well maintained.
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.
People and their relatives told us the staff group treated them with care and respect, and their views on their care were listened to. Staff showed a good awareness of supporting people’s privacy.
People received person centred care in a way of their choosing. Their care plans reflected their needs and staff had a good knowledge of people’s needs. People were supported to engage in social activities of their choice, and although people told us they had no complaints, there were processes in place to deal with any should they arise.
The service was well led and the registered manager worked in an open way with people, their relatives, staff and health professionals to provide a good quality of life for people. There were quality monitoring processes in place to monitor practices and maintain good standards of care.
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 Requires Improvement (23 October 2018).
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.