Pinecroft and Bristol Outreach

Updated 4 August 2023

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 Health and Social Care Act 2008.

As part of this inspection we looked at the infection control and prevention measures in place. This was conducted so we can understand the preparedness of the service in preventing or managing an infection outbreak, and to identify good practice we can share with other services.

Inspection team

The inspection was carried by one inspector.

Service and service type

Bristol Outreach is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in [their own houses and flats. At the time of the inspection, the service was not providing regulated activity to people.

Pinecroft is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing and/or personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement dependent on their registration with us. Pinecroft is a care home without nursing care. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

Registered Manager

This provider is required to have a registered manager to oversee the delivery of regulated activities at this location. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Registered managers and providers are legally responsible for how the service is run, for the quality and safety of the care provided and compliance with regulations.

At the time of our inspection there was a registered manager in post. They told us they were in the process of deregistering and a new manager was being recruited. Ongoing support was being given to the people and staff by a deputy area manager.

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. We sought feedback from the local authority and professionals who work with the service. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return (PIR). This is information providers are required to send us annually with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. We used all this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with 4 people who lived at the service about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with the registered manager, and two members of staff. We contacted the deputy area manager and the manager responsible for Bristol Outreach Service by telephone to clarify if anyone was receiving personal care. After the inspection we received an email from a member of staff sharing their experience of working for the service.

We emailed 6 health and social care professionals about their experience of the service. We received 3 email responses and spoke to a further health professional on the telephone. Feedback was positive.

We reviewed a range of records. This included 2 people's care records, daily records and medication records. We looked at the recruitment records for 3 newly appointed members of staff. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including training data, recruitment documentation, duty rotas and quality assurance records.

Updated 4 August 2023

About the service

Pinecroft provides accommodation and personal care for four people. There were four people living at the home at the time of the inspection.

In addition, the service provides personal care as part of an outreach service to people in their own homes. This service was situated in a separate self-sufficient office in the back garden of Pinecroft. It provides a service to older adults and young adults who have a diagnosis of autism.

Not everyone using Bristol Outreach Service receives regulated activity; CQC only inspects the service being received by people provided with ‘personal care’; help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do we also take into account any wider social care provided. At the time of the inspection no one was receiving the regulated activity of personal care.

We expect health and social care providers to guarantee people with a learning disability and autistic people respect, equality, dignity, choices and independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted. ‘Right support, right care, right culture’ is the guidance CQC follows to make assessments and judgements about services supporting people with a learning disability and autistic people and providers must have regard to it.

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

Right Support:

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.

Pinecroft provided people with a homely environment that was safe, clean and well-maintained. People were able to personalise their bedrooms. They had been consulted on the décor of the home. Checks were completed on the environment to ensure it was safe.

Staff supported people with their medicines that promoted their independence.

There were enough staff that were skilled to meet people’s needs safely. This was kept under review. Staff recruitment and induction training processes promoted safety.

Right Care:

People led inclusive and empowered lives because of the values and the attitudes of the management and staff. People were supported to do the things they liked to do. People were encouraged and supported to gain life skills enabling them to move to more independent living.

People received care and support that was person-centred and promoted their dignity, privacy and human rights.

Staff understood how to protect people from poor care and abuse. Risks to people had been identified and clear plans of care were in place to keep people safe. People were supported with bespoke training in keeping safe and staying healthy.

Right Culture:

The registered manager and staff were clear about their roles and responsibilities in supporting autistic people. The ethos and the values were promoted within the service, with people setting clear goals based on their aspirations.

People received person-centred, individualised care because staff knew people and their needs well. There was an inclusive atmosphere in the home, people were fully engaged in the running of the home with regular meetings taking place. Their views were acted upon.

Staff worked well together as a team and sought advice and support from health and social care professionals when required. Feedback from professionals was positive and showed the staff worked in partnership to ensure positive outcomes for people.

Quality was everyone’s business. Staff and people and were involved in the quality audits with one person championing in this area in respect of health and safety and the fire checks.

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 good (published 7 August 2018).

Why we inspected

We undertook this focused inspection due to the length of time since the last inspection. This report only covers our findings in relation to the Key Questions Safe and Well-led.

For those key questions not inspected, we used the ratings awarded at the last inspection to calculate the overall rating. The overall rating for the service has remained good based on the findings of this inspection.

We looked at infection prevention and control measures under the Safe key question. We look at this in all care home inspections even if no concerns or risks have been identified. This is to provide assurance that the service can respond to COVID-19 and other infection outbreaks effectively.

You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Pinecroft and Bristol Outreach on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.

Follow up

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