Dimensions 40 Cody Road

Updated 2 November 2023

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

This inspection was carried out by 3 inspectors. Two inspectors were on site and 1 inspector made phone calls to staff and relatives.

Service and service type

Dimensions 40 Cody Road is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing and/or personal care as a single package under 1 contractual agreement dependent on their registration with us. Dimensions 40 Cody Road 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.

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 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

Due to people’s abilities, we were not always able to communicate with them, so we spent time observing the interactions between people and staff, in public areas of the home, in order to help us understand people's experiences.

We received feedback from 1 relative about their experience of the care provided. We reviewed a range of records. This included 2 people’s care records in full, an overview of 3 peoples care records and 4 people’s medicines records. We looked at 4 staff files in relation to recruitment. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures were also reviewed. We spoke with 5 members of staff including the registered manager and 4 care workers. We received email feedback from 1 care worker.

Updated 2 November 2023

Dimensions 40 Cody Road is a residential care home providing accommodation for persons who require personal or nursing care for up to 5 people in 1 adapted building. The service provides support to people with a learning disability and autistic people. At the time of our inspection there were 5 people using the service.

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

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 not supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff did not support them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service did not support this practice.

Right Care: The service was close to small local shops, there was a lack of easily accessible close public transport. The service had a minibus; however, people did not go out regularly and there was a lack of engagement and meaningful activity taking place. People were at risk of harm because staff did not always have the information they needed to support people safely.

Right Culture: The ethos, values, attitudes and behaviours of leaders and care staff did not always ensure people using services lead confident, inclusive, and empowered lives.

Support plans and risk assessments were not regularly reviewed or updated.

Infection prevention and control was not managed in line with the provider's policy.

Medicines and recruitment were managed safely.

The provider’s quality and risk monitoring systems were not always effective in identifying and action on shortfalls to ensure people received safe and high-quality 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 good (published 4 January 2018).

Why we inspected

The inspection was prompted in part due to concerns received about infection control, lack of activities and person centred care. As a result, we undertook a focused inspection to review the key questions of safe and well-led only.

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 changed from good to requires improvement based on the findings of this inspection.

We have found evidence that the provider needs to make improvements. Please see the safe and well-led sections of this full report.

You can see what action we have asked the provider to take at the end of this full report.

You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Dimensions 40 Cody Road on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.

Enforcement

We have identified breaches in relation to managing risk, infection control, person centred care, consent to care and treatment and governance.

Follow up

We will request an action plan from the provider to understand what they will do to improve the standards of quality and safety. We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.