Errol House

Updated 7 April 2020

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

One inspector carried out the inspection.

Service and service type

Errol House is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

The service had a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. 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.

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 included details about incidents the provider must notify us about, such as abuse or when a person injures themselves. We contacted relevant agencies such as the local authority and safeguarding teams. We used all this information to plan our inspection.

We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return. This is information providers are required to send us with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. This information helps support our inspections.

During the inspection

We spoke with two people who used the service. We spoke with two members of staff, the assistant manager, the registered manager and the regional manager. We reviewed people's care records, medicines records, policies and procedures, records relating to the management of the service, including recruitment records, accident and incident records and training records.

After the inspection

The provider sent us some further information and documentation. We made telephone calls to people’s relatives and some professionals who worked with people in the service, to gain their feedback.

Updated 7 April 2020

About the service

Errol House is registered to provide accommodation and personal care for up to five people with a learning disability. At the time of our inspection there were three people 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 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 was appropriate and inclusive for them.

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.

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

People were safely supported care and staff had a good understanding of people’s individual risks, although care records sometimes lacked detail. Recruitment procedures were followed and staffing was organised well so each person received high levels of support. There were safe systems for managing people’s medicines, although some aspects of recording needed to be clearer.

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice. People gave their consent to care in line with current legislation. The service respected people’s human rights. Staff understood people’s individual communication needs and respected their wishes and preferences.

Staff were supported through training and supervision. There was good teamwork and a clear management structure to support the team. Communication between staff and managers was continuous and supportive of people’s individual needs. People’s dietary needs and choices were well met.

Errol House provided a friendly, welcoming homely environment; staff respected people’s home and people were happy. People were supported by kind, patient and caring staff who understood their individual needs. People were treated with respect and their independence was actively promoted.

Activities were based around people’s individual interests and wishes. People’s care records contained information about their needs, and improvements to these were being considered. The complaints process was in place and the provider was considering ways in which compliments could also be recorded.

Changes had been made to the management in the home. Staff were confident in how the service was run and felt the new registered manager was making positive changes. Systems and processes used to monitor the quality of the provision were in place.

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 August 2017)

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.

Follow up

We will return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.