Chippings

Updated 15 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 completed by one inspector and an Expert by Experience making telephone calls remotely. An Expert by Experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of care service.

Service and service type

Chippings is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement dependent on their registration with us. Chippings 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 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. This means that they and the provider are legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided.

At the time of our inspection there was a registered manager in post.

Notice of inspection

We gave the service 48 hours’ notice of the inspection. This was because the service is small and people are often out and we wanted to be sure there would be people at home to speak with us.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We sought feedback from the local authority and professionals who work with the service. 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 spoke with three people who used the service and two relatives about their experience of the care provided. We also observed interactions between staff and four other people who used the service. We spoke with four members of staff including the registered manager and care workers.

We reviewed a range of records. This included three people’s care records and multiple medication records. We looked at three staff files in relation to recruitment and staff supervision. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures were reviewed.

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.

Updated 15 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

Chippings is a residential care home providing personal care to up to six people. The service provides support to people living with a range of learning disabilities including autism. At the time of our inspection there were six people using the service. The home accommodates six people in one adapted building.

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

Right Support: People had maximum choice and control of the care they received. Staff encouraged people to be as independent as possible in their day to day lives. People’s needs were assessed thoroughly and reviewed regularly. People received support with their food and drink to ensure a balanced, healthy diet. We saw staff encouraged people to make choices about what activities they wanted to take part in. People were supported to maintain relationships that were important to them.

Right Care: People received person-centred care by staff who respected people’s human rights. Staff were knowledgeable of people’s individual likes, dislikes, preferences and hobbies. People’s risks were monitored and managed well by staff. People received good support with their medicines and the home was kept safe from the risk of infection.

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 Culture: The culture of the home was inclusive and empowering for the people living there. Staff and the registered manager encouraged this to continue to be the expectation at the home. The registered manager supported staff who in turn felt confident to complete their roles to their upmost ability. People were supported by kind and caring staff. Staff encouraged people to be independent and respected their privacy.

Staff felt supported by the management, and managers completed regular quality assurance checks to ensure the standard of good care was maintained.

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

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

Rating at last inspection

This service was registered with us on 9 May 2019 and this is the first inspection. The last rating for the service under the previous provider was Good, published on 11 January 2017.

Why we inspected

We undertook this inspection to assess that the service is applying the principles of Right support right care right culture. This inspection was also prompted by inspection scheduling and the fact it had not been inspected since the change of provider.

Follow up

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