Pennington Court

Updated 6 February 2020

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.

Inspection team

The inspection was carried out by one inspector.

Service and service type

Pennington Court is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

The service had a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. 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.

Notice of inspection

This inspection was unannounced.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed the information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We sought feedback from professionals who work with the service, and looked at information provided to us by members of the public. We used all this information to plan our inspection.

The provider was not asked to complete a provider information return prior to this inspection. This is information we require providers to send us to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We took this into account when we inspected the service and made the judgements in this report.

During the inspection

We spoke with two people using the service about their experience of receiving care at the home. We spoke with three members of staff including the registered manager. 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 reviewed a range of records. This included four people’s care records and medication records. We looked at three staff files in relation to recruitment, staff supervision and appraisal. We reviewed a range of records relating to the management of the service, including audits, maintenance records and meeting minutes.

After the inspection

The registered manager sent us additional records relating to the management of the service, and information about how people’s lives had improved since moving to Pennington Court.

Updated 6 February 2020

About the service

Pennington Court is a residential care home providing care and support for up to eight people with a learning disability, acquired brain injury and other associated conditions. At the time of the inspection the service was full.

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.

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

People were positive about their experience of living at Pennington Court. There were enough staff to keep people safe. We observed when people required assistance staff were quickly available, and where people had been assessed as needing one to one support it was provided.

We identified some concerns relating to how people's dignity was upheld. The registered manager told us this was already being addressed but the evidence they provided to support this was not sufficient to reassure.

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.

Staff had a good knowledge of people using the service, their preferences and hopes for the future. People spoke positively about the staff.

People’s medicines were managed safely. There were good systems in place to monitor the management of people’s medicines and staff had received appropriate training in this area.

People’s dietary needs and preferences were catered for. The service worked with other professionals to ensure people’s health care needs were addressed.

People’s needs were assessed, and their care plans included information about their needs and preferences. This supported the delivery of person-centred care.

People were supported to take part in a range of appropriate activities inside and outside the home.

Management systems within the service did not always identify shortfalls in delivery.

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.

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 9 June 2017).

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.

Follow up

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