Archived: Limber Oak

Updated 11 March 2016

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection was planned to check whether the provider is meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

This inspection took place on the 8 February 2016. It was carried out by one inspector and was unannounced.

Prior to the inspection we looked at all the information we had collected about the service. This included any notifications the service had sent us. A notification is information about important events which the service is required to tell us about by law.

During the inspection we sought feedback from people who use the service, their relatives, staff and health and social care professionals. We obtained the views of four relatives of people who use the service who spoke on behalf of their family member. Additionally we spoke with the interim manager, deputy manager, five members of staff and two social care professionals.

We looked at three people’s records and records that were used by staff to monitor their care. In addition we looked at two staff recruitment files, staff training records and documents, which related to the management and quality monitoring of the service.

Updated 11 March 2016

Limber Oak is a care home which is registered to provide care (without nursing) for up to seven people with learning disabilities. The home is a detached split level building within a rural area of Crookham, Newbury. People have their own bedrooms and use of communal areas that includes an enclosed private garden. The people living in the home needed care from staff at all times and have a range of care needs.

The home has not had a registered manager since the 7 December 2015. The provider had commenced the process to recruit a manager who would apply to CQC to become the registered manager. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Like registered providers, they are ‘registered persons’. Registered persons have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

At our comprehensive inspection of Limber Oak on the 26 and 27 January 2015, we had found the provider had not protected people against the risks associated with safeguarding people from abuse. Additionally we had recommended that the service finds out more about best practice in supporting staff development and seek guidance of best practice in quality assurance and monitoring procedures. Our rating of the service at that time was required improvement.

We revisited the service on 20 July 2015, and inspected the service against one of the five questions we ask about services: is the service safe. This was to check that the provider had followed their plan and to confirm that they had met the legal requirements to keep people safe.

At this inspection 8 February 2016, we inspected the service against the five questions we ask about services: is the service safe, effective, caring, responsive and well led.

People who use the service had a range of communication abilities that ranged from limited verbal communication and use of pictures and symbols to indicate their needs and wishes. These were understood by staff and enabled staff to support those individual’s to make choices and express their views. Staff treated people with kindness and respect and had regular contact with people’s families to make sure they were fully informed about the care and support their relative received.

People’s safety was promoted within the home. The recruitment and selection process helped to ensure people were supported by staff of good character. There was a sufficient number of qualified and trained staff to meet people’s needs safely. Staff knew how to recognise and report any concerns they had about the care and welfare of people to protect them from abuse. People’s medicine was managed safely.

People were provided with effective care from a staff team who had received support through supervision, staff meetings and training. Their care plans detailed how they wanted their needs to be met. Risk assessments identified risks associated with personal and specific behavioural and or health related issues. They helped to promote people’s independence whilst minimising any risks.

The service had taken the necessary action to ensure they were working in a way which recognised and maintained people’s rights. They understood the relevance of the Mental Capacity Act 2005, Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) and consent issues which related to the people and their care.

Improvements had been made to the environment to promote people’s privacy. This had included refurbishment of two bathrooms, and additional office space to store people’s records and promote confidential meetings about people’s care.

People were encouraged to live a fulfilled life with activities of their choosing. Further staff hours had been authorised by the provider. This was to minimise the risk of social isolation for the people who lived in the home. People’s families told us that they were very happy with the care their relatives received.

The provider had an effective system to regularly assess and monitor the quality of service that people received. There were various formal methods used for assessing and improving the quality of care. This had resulted with improved records to make sure staff had access to the information they needed to support people the way they wanted to be supported.