Little Paddocks

Updated 14 June 2018

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, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

This was an announced inspection. The provider was given 48 hours' notice of the inspection visit because the service provided was domiciliary care in people's own homes and we wanted to make arrangements to contact people. We also wanted the manager to be available in the office on the day of inspection.

The Inspection site visit activity started on 8th March 2018 and ended on 12th March 2018. It was completed by two inspectors. The inspection went over two days as it was inspected on the same day as a sister service in the same grounds.

Prior to our inspection we reviewed the information we held about the service, including previous inspection reports. We contacted the local authority to obtain their views about the care provided. We considered the information which had been shared with us by the local authority and other people, looked at safeguarding notifications which had been submitted. A notification is information about important events which the provider is required to tell us about by law.

A Provider Information Return (PIR) was requested prior to the inspection. This is a form that asks the provider to give some key information in relation to the service, what the service does well and what improvements need to be made. We gave the registered provider the opportunity to provide us with some key information about the service, such as what the service does well and any improvements they plan to make. We used all of this information to plan how the inspection should be conducted.

We met with four people to gain their views about the service. We were able to observe people in their own homes at the office site and observe staff interaction. We also met with and spoke to five care staff, the office administrator, the homecare service manager, registered manager and the provider. Additional phone calls via telephone were made to people using the homecare service, relatives, staff and healthcare professionals.

During the inspection we looked at a variety of records. These included care records relating to six people, five staff recruitment files and training records. We also viewed other documentation which was relevant to the management of the service. We also spent some time observing the interaction of staff with people.

Updated 14 June 2018

Little Paddocks is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in four assisted living cottages, and for people in their own houses and flats in the community. It provides a split service to four people who require 24 hour care and support who have a learning disability and /or autistic spectrum disorder. These people live in their own cottages on the site of Little Paddocks in Little Clacton. They occupy the same site as the office and a sister home. It also provides a home care domiciliary service providing personal care predominantly to older people in their own homes. People using the service lived in approximately 21 of their own residential houses and ordinary flats across Clacton on Sea, Colchester and the surrounding areas.

This service provides care and support to people living in specialist ‘extra care’ housing. Extra care housing is purpose-built or adapted single household accommodation in a shared site or building. The accommodation is bought or rented, and is the occupant’s own home. People’s care and housing are provided under separate contractual agreements. CQC does not regulate premises used for extra care housing; this inspection looked at people’s personal care and support service.

Not everyone using Little Paddocks DCA receives personal care; CQC only inspects the service being received by people provided with ‘personal care’; help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do we also take into account any wider social care provided. At the time of the inspection the registered provider was providing support to a total of 25 people across the cottages on site and those people living their own residential homes and flats.

This service has not yet been formally rated as it was registered in December 2016. At this inspection, which was the first for the service we found the service was 'Good'.

A registered manager was in post. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) to manage the service. Like registered providers, they are ‘registered persons’. Registered persons have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

The registered manager had a clear vision about the time staff spent supporting people so they could really focus on giving individualised care and support in a way people wanted it. The feedback we received during the inspection showed that this vision had been achieved, and the service was well led.

Staff had a positive and caring attitude about their jobs. People told us that they were happy with the care and support they received. All the staff we spoke with were happy in their work and proud of the job they do.

People received a safe service from Little Paddocks. There were sufficient numbers of staff who were appropriately trained to meet the needs of the people who used the service. Risks of harm to people had been identified and clear plans and guidelines were in place to minimise these risks.

Staff understood their duty should they suspect abuse was taking place, including the agencies that needed to be notified, such as the local authority safeguarding board or the police.

Staff recruitment procedures were safe. The provider had undertaken appropriate safety checks to ensure that only suitable staff were employed to support people in their own home. Staff said they felt supported to undertake their roles. Staff received a comprehensive induction and ongoing training, tailored to the needs of the people they supported.

Staff managed people’s medicines in a safe way and were trained in the safe administration of medicines. People were prompted by staff to take their medicines, but where staff gave people their medicine this was done safely.

Where people did not have the capacity to understand or consent to a decision the provider had followed the requirements of the Mental Capacity Act (2005). An appropriate assessment of people's capacity to understand and make decisions for themselves had been completed.

People were supported to have enough to eat and drink. They received support from staff where a need had been identified. People's dietary support needs were understood and met by the staff.

The service supported people to maintain good health. When people's health deteriorated staff made sure they contacted the appropriate professionals so people received effective treatment.

Staff were kind and caring and treated people with dignity and respect. The staff knew the people they cared for as individuals, and had a good rapport with relatives.

People received the care and support as detailed in their care plans. Care plans were based around the individual preferences of people as well as their medical, psychological and emotional needs.

People knew how to make a complaint. When complaints had been received these had been dealt with quickly and to the satisfaction of the person who made the complaint. Staff knew how to respond to a complaint should one be received.

The provider had effective systems in place to monitor the quality of care and support that people received. The registered manager had ensured that accurate records relating to the care and treatment of people and the overall management of the service were maintained. Records for checks on health and safety, and medicines audits were all up to date. Accident and incident records were kept, and were analysed and used to improve the care provided to people. The registered manager regularly communicated with people, visited them in their homes, or telephoned them to give people and staff an opportunity to talk to them, and to ensure a good standard of care was being provided to people. People received a good standard of care and support by a caring and well led service.