The Rowans

We found the following examples of good practice.

¿ The provider ensured there was sufficient stock of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) in place including masks, gloves, aprons and hand sanitiser. Staff had access to PPE and were observed wearing this in line with national guidance.

¿ Staff were trained in infection prevention and control (IPC). This included donning and doffing training, this is how to put on and remove PPE.

¿ People were encouraged to wash their hands and use hand sanitiser throughout the day. Staff supported people to understand the importance of handwashing and hand sanitising including the reasons why this needed to be done, this was embedded into their daily routines

¿ Communication with people had been difficult due to masks covering mouths. The provider trialled alternatives and also put in place a risk assessment regarding the use of mask to support communication for people.

¿ The service was visibly clean. The staff team cleaned the service as part of their role, including regular cleaning of high touch points throughout the day. Additional cleaning took place during the night to ensure continuous cleaning was maintained.

¿ A recent outbreak of COVID 19 at the service had been managed well and the plans in place to support people had been utilised safely. Core staff had moved into the service to reduce the risk of spread of infection.

¿ The service followed the current guidelines for care home testing, an enhanced testing regime was implemented during the outbreak. This was to ensure if people or staff had contracted COVID 19, it was identified, and measures put in place in a timely way. Consent forms had been completed for all people regarding testing, involving the person and people that are important to them.

¿ Infection control policies had been updated to reflect current national guidance. Information and guidance were available to staff, relatives and people living in the service relating to COVID 19 and infection control.

¿ The provider put in place risk assessments clearly identifying people at high risk of COVID 19 and the measures in place to support them. This meant staff had clear guidance on how to support people during COVID 19.

¿ People were supported to keep in touch with their relatives. Home visits were being facilitated were possible and risk assessments put in place to support the home visits taking place.

Further information is in the detailed findings below.

The Rowans provides personal care and support for up to 12 people who experience learning disabilities or autistic spectrum disorder. The accommodation is provided in two separate buildings on the same site; the main house can accommodate up to nine people. The smaller house, referred to as The Lodge, can accommodate up to three people. On the day of the inspection eight people were living in main house and three people were living in The Lodge.

The service worked within the principles and values that underpin Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. This ensured that people could 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’s experience of using this service:

• People received safe and effective services.

• People were protected against abuse and discrimination and their rights were upheld.

• People were supported to have choice and control of their lives and were encouraged to develop their independence.

• People were treated with kindness and respect. They were encouraged to express their views and opinions and staff respected their choices and decisions.

• There were enough staff who had the right knowledge and skills to meet people’s needs in a person centred way.

• There was an open and inclusive culture within the home. People who lived there and staff had a say in how the home was run.

• Governance systems ensured any shortfalls in the services provided were addressed in a timely manner.

Rating at last inspection:

The Rowans was last inspected on 7 April 2016 (report published 24 June 2016) and was rated as good overall.

Why we inspected:

This was a planned inspection based on the rating at the last inspection. The Rowans remained rated good overall.

Follow up:

We will continue to monitor intelligence we receive about The Rowans until we return to visit as per our reinspection programme. If any concerning information is received we may inspect sooner.

People living at the home were of mixed ages. Some people required more assistance because of physical illnesses.

There was 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.

CQC is required by law to monitor the operation of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) and to report on what we find. DoLS are in place to protect people where they do not have capacity to make decisions and where it is considered necessary to restrict their freedom in some way, usually to protect themselves or others.

We found that there were sufficient staff to meet the needs of people using the service. The provider had taken into consideration the complex needs of each person to ensure their needs could be met through a 24 hour period.

We found that people’s health care needs were assessed, and care planned and delivered in a consistent way through the use of a care plan. People were involved in the planning of their care and had agreed to the care provided. The information and guidance provided to staff in the care plans was clear. Risks associated with people’s care needs were assessed and plans put in place to minimise risk in order to keep people safe.

People were treated with kindness, compassion and respect. The staff in the home took time to speak with the people they were supporting. We saw many positive interactions and people enjoyed talking to the staff in the home. The staff on duty knew the people they were supporting and the choices they had made about their care and their lives. People were supported to maintain their independence and control over their lives.

People had a choice of meals, snacks and drinks. Meals could be taken in dining rooms, sitting rooms or people’s own bedrooms. Staff encouraged people to eat their meals and gave assistance to those that required it. People lived in two separate houses at the location. Each house having its own toilets, bathrooms, kitchens, dining rooms and sitting rooms. People had individual bedrooms.

The provider used safe systems when new staff were recruited. All new staff completed training before working in the home. The staff were aware of their responsibilities to protect people from harm or abuse. They knew the action to take if they were concerned about the welfare of an individual.

People had been consulted about the development of the home and quality checks had been completed to ensure services met people’s requirements.