Background to this inspection
Updated
10 April 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
Dimensions – Parrot Farmhouse is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement. The 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. At the time of the inspection the registered manager was not present at the service. We spoke with an assistant manager who provided us with access to all documentations required.
Notice of inspection
This inspection was unannounced.
What we did before the inspection
We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return. This is information providers are required to send us with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. This information helps support our inspections. We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. This included notifications of important events the provider has to share with us. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.
During the inspection
We spoke to one person and we used Makaton to communicate with another person using the service. Makaton is a language programme that uses symbols, signs and speech to enable people to communicate. We observed staff’s interactions with people who used the service. We spoke with the assistant manager and three members of staff. We reviewed a range of records. These included three people's care and medication records and a variety of records relating to the management of the service.
After the inspection
We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found. We looked at training data and quality assurance records. We spoke with two relatives of people and we contacted five professionals who regularly visit the service.
Updated
10 April 2020
About the service
Dimensions Parrot Farmhouse is a residential care home which is registered to provide a service for up to eight people with learning disabilities. There were six people living in the service on the day of the inspection.
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
We received extremely positive feedback about the exceptional care and how the support people received positively impacted on their lives. People and their relatives were extremely positive about the caring and responsive approach of the staff.
People continued to be protected from the risk of abuse because systems and processes supported this practice. Risks to the environment and people's health had been identified, assessed and managed safely. Medicines were managed safely. Accident and incidents were recorded and reviewed to promote learning and prevent reoccurrence.
There were enough staff to keep people safe and staff had been recruited safely. There was a regular training programme which gave staff the right knowledge and skills for their roles.
People were involved in their care and were supported to make decisions. People had a healthy, varied diet and ate food they enjoyed. Staff supported people to access relevant healthcare services, followed professional advice and provided consistent care.
People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff assisted them in the least restrictive way possible and acted in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service promoted this practice.
People received care and support from staff who were caring, compassionate and familiar to them. Staff provided care and support with consideration to people's needs and preferences. It was evident staff had formed genuine relationships with the people they supported.
People received personalised care and support which met their needs, reflected their preferences and promoted their wellbeing. People's care and support had been planned and developed in partnership with them. People were regularly consulted about their views of the service. People were provided with regular opportunities to enhance their social well-being. The high standard of care which people received from staff led them to achieve positive outcomes. The service responded and adapted to meet people's change in care and support needs in a timely way. People's communication needs were identified, and their end of life wishes explored. Systems were in place to enable people and their relatives to raise concerns.
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 to gain new skills and become more independent.
Systems and processes monitored the quality of the service provided. These included regular checks on the safety of the environment and the quality of care people receive. Staff felt valued and worked well as a team to benefit people. People and their relatives were complimentary of the registered manager.
The registered manager and registered provider had met their legal requirements with the Care Quality Commission (CQC). They promoted person centred care and transparency within the service.
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 22 August 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.