Ontario Court

Updated 9 June 2022

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

This inspection was undertaken one inspector. An inspector undergoing induction was present but did not take part in the inspection itself.

Service and service type

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

Registered Manager

This service is required to have a registered manager. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. At the time of our inspection there was not a registered manager in post. The current manager had applied to become a registered manager. This means that the provider is 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. We sought feedback from a social worker and people's clinical commissioning groups (CCGs). 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 visited the service location on 19 May 2022, and again in the evening on 24 May 2022. We spoke with three people, three relatives and an advocate. We also spoke with eight staff including the manager, deputy manager, team leaders, support workers and the operations' manager.

We reviewed a range of records. This included two people’s care records and medication records. We looked at two staff files in relation to recruitment and staff supervision. A variety of records relating to the management of the service were also reviewed, including training records, incident records, compliments, quality assurance processes and various policies and procedures.

What we did after the inspection

We sought assurance about records involving people's care and support needs and preferences.

Updated 9 June 2022

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.

About the service

Ontario Court is a residential care home providing accommodation and personal care to three people at the time of the inspection. The service can support up to eight people. Each person’s accommodation included a self-contained lounge, kitchen, bedroom and bathroom as well as shared communal areas.

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

Right support

The service gave people care and support in a safe environment that was clean and suitably equipped to meet people's physical and emotional needs. Staff complied with measures designed to reduce the risk of COVID-19 spreading within the service.

Staff focused on people's strengths and promoted what they could do, enabling the opportunity for people to lead fulfilling and meaningful lives. People were supported by staff to pursue their interests inside and outside the home, and to achieve their aspirations and goals.

The service worked with people to plan for when they experienced periods of distress; to minimise any restrictions and to ensure people had as much freedom, choice and control over their lives as possible.

Staff received training in the use of restraint and were confident in their ability to deploy this training. At the time of our inspection, the use of restraint had been identified for one person as necessary, as a last resort and for the shortest time possible.

Staff supported people to make decisions following best practice in decision-making. Staff communicated with people in ways that met their needs. People had a choice about their living environment and were able to personalise their rooms.

Staff enabled people to access the community and pursue their interests in their local area. Staff supported people to live healthy lifestyles and access health and social care support. This helped improve people’s wellbeing. Staff supported people with their medicines in a way that respected their independence and achieved positive health outcomes.

Right Care

People received care that was kind and compassionate and based on people’s own culture. Staff promoted people’s equality and diversity, supporting and responding to their individual needs. People’s care plans were an accurate reflection of the support they needed and what people could do independently.

Staff understood how to protect people from poor care and abuse. The service worked with other agencies to do so. Staff had training on how to recognise and report abuse and they knew how to apply it. The service had enough appropriately skilled staff to meet people's needs and keep them safe.

Staff had a thorough understanding of people’s individual ways of communicating and this enabled people to be listened to. People received care that supported their needs and aspirations, was focused on their quality of life, and followed best practice.

Right Culture

Staff evaluated the quality of support provided to people, involving the person, their families and other professionals as appropriate.

People were supported by staff who understood best practice in relation people’s strengths, impairments or sensitivities people with a learning disability and/or autistic people may have. Staff knew people well and responded to their needs and wishes. This helped people achieve their aspirations and live a meaningful life. Staff put people's wishes, needs and rights at the heart of everything they did.

People and those important to them, including advocates, were involved in planning their care. This enabled people to be able work with staff to develop the service. Staff valued and acted upon people's views. Staff ensured risks of a closed culture were minimised so that people received support based on transparency, respect and inclusivity.

For more information, please read the detailed findings section of this report. If you are reading this as a separate summary, the full report can be found on the Care Quality Commission (CQC) website at www.cqc.org.uk

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.

Rating at last inspection

This service was registered with us on 14 December 2020 and this is the first inspection.

Why we inspected

We undertook this inspection to assess that the service is applying the principles of 'Right support, right care, right culture'.

Follow up:

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