Chestnut Grange

Updated 23 December 2020

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 care homes with outbreaks of coronavirus, we are conducting reviews to ensure that the Infection Prevention and Control practice was safe, and the service was compliant with IPC measures. This was a targeted inspection looking at the IPC practices the provider has in place.

This inspection took place on 09 December 2020 and was announced.

Updated 23 December 2020

About the service

Chestnut Grange is a care home that offers care and support for up to 10 people with learning disabilities or autistic spectrum disorder. There were nine people using the service at the time of our visit.

The care service was designed in line with the values that underpin the Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. These values include choice, promotion of independence and inclusion. People with learning disabilities and autism using the service can live as ordinary a life as any citizen. People were given choices and participation within the local community was encouraged.

People’s experience of using this service

• People were supported to be safe. Staff understood their responsibilities to protect people from abuse and avoidable harm. Risk was assessed and managed. People’s human rights and freedoms were respected within the risk management plan.

• Routine checks and maintenance were carried out on the premises and equipment. There provider had a health and safety team available to provide additional support and training to people and staff.

• There were enough staff to meet people’s needs and to spend time with them. Staff were recruited in a safe way.

• People’s medicines were managed in a safe way and were reviewed by the prescribing doctor to make sure they remained effective. People had access to the healthcare services they required. Staff referred people promptly and followed the advice and guidance provided by the professional.

• People had enough to eat and drink and were encouraged to follow a healthy diet and maintain a healthy weight.

• The service was spacious and met the needs of people who lived there. People’s rooms were personalised. The service was clean and tidy throughout. Staff knew how to reduce risk of cross infection. They had access to the protective equipment and cleaning products they required to achieve this.

• Staff had the training and support required to meet people’s needs. Care and support followed best practice up to date guidelines and legislation. Staff had opportunities to learn and develop their skills and qualifications.

• Consent to care and support was always sought in line with legislation and guidance. People were encouraged to make choices and decisions about their care and support and the things they did each day.

• Staff were kind and compassionate. People and staff had developed positive relationships. Staff were passionate and motivated about improving outcomes for people and increasing people’s skills and independence. Privacy and dignity was promoted by all staff.

• Staff knew people extremely well. They knew about the things that were important to people and the things that may cause distress. Staff knew the best way to communicate with people and how to offer support and reassurance when this was required. People led active lives and took part in culturally relevant activities in and outside of the home.

• There was a complaints procedure and any issues were responded to quickly and used as an opportunity to learn and improve. People, relatives and staff were asked for their feedback and their views and opinions were listened to and acted on accordingly.

• There was a clear organisational structure. Staff understood their roles and responsibilities. There was strong leadership and support structures in place. Managers were open, inclusive and accessible. Staff and managers shared a vision based on providing person centred care and support and improving outcomes for people. There were effective systems in place to monitor the quality of the service and to drive improvement.

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

Rating at last inspection

At the last inspection we rated this service Good (report published on 23 July 2016).

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.

Follow up

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