Deansbrook Farm

Updated 26 May 2021

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.

As part of CQC’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic we are looking at the preparedness of care homes in relation to infection prevention and control. This was a targeted inspection looking at the infection control and prevention measures the provider has in place.

This inspection took place on 13 May 2021 and was announced.

Updated 26 May 2021

About the service: Deansbrook Farm is a residential care home registered to provide accommodation with personal care for up to ten people with learning disabilities or those with autistic spectrum disorder. At the time of the inspection eight people were living at the service.

Services for people with learning disabilities and or autism are supported

The service 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 service 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 service receive planned and co-ordinated person-centred support that is appropriate and inclusive for them.

The service was a large home, bigger than most domestic style properties. It was registered for the support of up to 10 people. Eight people were using the service. This is larger than current best practice guidance. However, the size of the service having a negative impact on people was mitigated by the building design fitting into the residential area and the other large domestic homes of a similar size. There were deliberately no identifying signs, intercom, cameras, industrial bins or anything else outside to indicate it was a care home. Staff were also discouraged from wearing anything that suggested they were care staff when coming and going with people.

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

Staff understood the risks to people and the measures in place to keep them safe. Risks to people were assessed and managed well.

Systems were in place to ensure people’s medicines were managed safely. The service was involved in a national project stopping over medication of people with a learning disability, autism or both with psychotropic medicines (STOMP). This was having a positive impact on people’s quality of life.

Staff remained committed to supporting people to manage their anxieties and behaviours in a positive way.

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.

Sufficient numbers of staff were employed to meet people’s needs. The recruitment, induction and training processes in place ensured staff had the right skills and experience and were suitable to work with people who used the service.

The service applied the principles and values consistently of Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. These ensure that people who use the service can live as full a life as possible and achieve the best possible outcomes that include control, choice and independence. The outcomes for people using the service reflected the principles and values of Registering the Right Support by promoting choice and control, independence and inclusion. People's support focused on them having as many opportunities as possible for them to gain new skills and become more independent.

The management team and staff were committed to providing a person-centred culture which valued people as individuals. Staff were intuitively caring and were observed treating people with dignity and respect.

People had access to food and drink based on their individual choice and preferences.

People were receiving personalised care responsive to their needs, including access to health care services. Staff worked well with other professionals and services to ensure people received the support they need to stay well and safe.

People’s communication needs had been assessed and were meeting the requirements of the Accessible Information Standards. This set of standards sets out the specific, approach for providers of health and social care to meet the communication needs of people with a disability, impairment or sensory loss.

Work was in progress to develop End of Life care plans to ensure people’s wishes would be taken into account at such time.

Systems were in place to assess the quality of the service and ensure risks and regulatory requirements were being understood and managed.

There continues to be a positive, open and inclusive culture in the service. Where things had gone wrong, systems were in place to learn from such incidents and make the necessary improvements.

Rating at last inspection: Good (Report published 08 November 2016)

Why we inspected: This was a planned inspection based on the rating at the last inspection.

Follow up: We will continue to monitor all intelligence received about this service to ensure that the next planned inspection is scheduled accordingly.

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