Bobbins

Updated 29 March 2022

Background to this inspection

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 how services manage infection control and visiting arrangements. This was a targeted inspection looking at the infection prevention and control measures the provider had in place. We also asked the provider about any staffing pressures the service was experiencing and whether this was having an impact on the service.

This inspection took place on 09 March 2022 and was unannounced.

Updated 29 March 2022

About the service

Bobbins is a residential home providing care to children and young adults with learning disabilities. The accommodation is a detached house in the town of Swindon. There is a parking area in front of the building secured by electric gates and an enclosed garden at the rear. The home is registered to provide care for up to six people. There were six people living in the home at the time of our visit.

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 applied the principles and values 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 Secretary of State has asked the Care Quality Commission (CQC) to conduct a thematic review and to make recommendations about the use of restrictive interventions in settings that provide care for people with or who might have mental health problems, learning disabilities and/or autism. Thematic reviews look in-depth at specific issues concerning quality of care across the health and social care sectors. They expand our understanding of both good and poor practice and of the potential drivers of improvement.

As part of thematic review, we carried out a survey with the registered manager at this inspection. This considered whether the service used any restrictive intervention practices (restraint, seclusion and segregation) when supporting people.

The service used some restrictive intervention practices as a last resort, in a person-centred way, in line with positive behaviour support principles.

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

People received safe care and treatment. Risks associated with people's care needs were assessed, planned for and monitored. Staff were knowledgeable about risks and had detailed guidance on the action required to manage and reduce risks.

Staff understood their safeguarding responsibilities and knew how to report their concerns. People were supported by staff who had been recruited safely. There was a process in place to for learning from accidents, incidents and safeguarding concerns.

Medicines were managed and stored safely. The service was clean and care workers followed good infection control practices to minimise the risk of infection.

People's needs were assessed before they started using the service. Staff asked for people's consent before they provided care or support. Staff received training and support to meet people's needs effectively.

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff provided them with care in the least restrictive way possible and acted in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service encouraged this practice.

People's health was supported as staff worked with other health care providers when needed to meet people's healthcare needs.

People were supported by care staff that were caring, showed compassion and expressed genuine interest in the people they cared for. People received person-centred care and support based on their individual needs and preferences. People's communication needs were known and understood by staff. People were involved in a range of activities that they enjoyed at the service and within the community

People’s relatives, staff and professionals spoke positively about the new management of the service. The service actively sought feedback from all involved in people's care and used this to improve the service. Quality assurance systems were effective to check people were receiving care that was of high quality.

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

Rating at last inspection and update

The last rating for this service was inadequate (published 22 May 2019).

The provider completed an action plan after the last inspection to show what they would do and by when they were going to improve. At this inspection we found improvements had been made and the provider was no longer in breach of regulations. This service had been in Special Measures since 5 April 2019. During this inspection the provider demonstrated that improvements have been made. The service is no longer rated as inadequate overall or in any of the key questions. Therefore, this service is no longer in Special Measures.

Why we inspected

This inspection was carried out to follow up on action we told the provider to take at the last inspection.

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.