Church Farm Bungalow

Updated 16 November 2023

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.

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

Three inspectors carried out the inspection. Two inspectors visited the home and one inspector made telephone calls to relatives and professionals.

Service and service type

Church Farm Bungalow is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing and/or personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement dependent on their registration with us. Church Farm Bungalow 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

The first day of the inspection was unannounced. The second day of the inspection was announced.

What we did before inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection, including notifications of significant events. 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 reviewed monitoring activity we had carried out with the provider in July 2023. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with 3 people who lived at the home, the registered manager, an assistant service manager, and 2 members of staff. We used the Short Observational Framework for Inspection (SOFI). SOFI is a way of observing care to help us understand the experience of people who could not talk with us. We received feedback from 5 relatives and 3 professionals about the care and support provided.

We checked 2 people’s risk assessments and support plans, health and safety records, quality audits, and the home’s continuous improvement plan. We also reviewed the staff training record, recruitment records for a member of staff, meeting minutes, and the arrangements for managing medicines.

Updated 16 November 2023

About the service

Church Farm Bungalow is a care home without nursing registered to accommodate up to 12 people with a learning disability and/or autistic people, people living with dementia, physical disability, and sensory impairment. There were 11 people living at the home at the time of our inspection.

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

The service was able to demonstrate how they were meeting the underpinning principles of Right support, right care, right culture.

Right support

People’s care was provided in a safe, clean, and well-maintained environment. Staff managed risks well to keep people safe. People’s medicines were managed safely and staff supported people to access healthcare services when they needed 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 service supported this practice.

Right care

People received care that supported their needs and aspirations, was focused on their quality of life, and followed best practice. There were always enough staff on duty to meet people’s needs and keep them safe. People were supported by a consistent staff team who knew their needs well. Staff understood their responsibilities in protecting people from abuse and knew how to report any concerns they had. The provider’s recruitment procedures helped ensure only suitable staff were employed.

Right culture

The registered manager promoted a culture in which staff valued people’s individuality and protected their rights. The views of people who lived at the home and their relatives and staff were sought and listened to. Staff were well supported in their roles and had opportunities to contribute to the development of the service. Monitoring systems were effective in keeping people safe and ensuring they received good quality care. The registered manager and staff worked well with other professionals to ensure people received the care and treatment they needed.

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 28 December 2017).

Why we inspected

This inspection was prompted by a review of the information we held about this service.

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.

Follow up

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