Tablehurst Farm Cottage

Updated 7 August 2019

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 Care Act 2014.

Inspection team

The inspection was undertaken by one inspector.

Service and service type

Tablehurst Farm Cottage 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 home had a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. This means that they and the provider are legally responsible for how the home is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided.

Notice of inspection

We gave the home 48 hours’ notice of the inspection. This was because it is a small home and we needed to be sure that the provider or registered manager would be available, and that people would be there to speak with us if they chose to.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the home since the last inspection. We sought feedback from the local authority and professionals who work with the home. 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 home, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. This information helps support our inspections. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with two people and two relatives about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with the registered manager, house manager and house coordinator.

We reviewed a range of records. This included three 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 home, including policies and procedures, were reviewed.

Updated 7 August 2019

About the service

Tablehurst Farm Cottage is a residential care home providing accommodation and personal care to up to three people living with a learning disability

The care home accommodates three people in one adapted building. Tablehurst Farm Cottage is situated on a working farm and people who live in the cottage are fully involved in the day to day operations on the farm.

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

The home 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 that people who use the home 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 home receive planned and co-ordinated person-centred support that is appropriate and inclusive for them.

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 home supported this practice.

People's support focused on them having as many opportunities as possible for them to gain new skills and become more independent. One relative told us, “We like that it’s a small home. (My relative) is living in a community where most of the people don’t have a learning disability which is good for them.”

People received kind and compassionate care from a staff team that understood their needs. One family member said, “I can't actually fault it. Since (my relative) has been there they have had such a full life. The last ten years (my relative) has been there have been the best years of their life.”

People received personalised care that was tailored to meet their individual needs, preferences and choices. Care plans were detailed and guided staff about people's needs and how to meet them. People’s concerns and complaints were listened to and used to improve the service they received.

The registered manager and house manager were well regarded and had a clear vision for the service which was understood by the staff and embedded within their practice. There were effective quality assurance systems that were used to drive service improvements. People, their relatives and staff were asked for their feedback about the home and meetings were held regularly.

Rating at last inspection

The last rating for this service was Good (published 25 November 2016).

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the home until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.

For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk