Roper House

Updated 10 February 2023

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 Health and Social Care Act 2008.

As part of this inspection we looked at the infection control and prevention measures in place. This was conducted so we can understand the preparedness of the service in preventing or managing an infection outbreak, and to identify good practice we can share with other services.

Inspection team

The inspection team consisted of two inspectors, and Expert by Experience and a British sign Language interpreter.

An Expert by Experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of care service.

Service and service type

Roper House is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing and/or personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement dependent on their registration with us. Roper House is a care home without nursing care. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

Registered Manager

This provider is required to have a registered manager to oversee the delivery of regulated activities at this location. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Registered managers and providers are legally responsible for how the service is run, for the quality and safety of the care provided and compliance with regulations.

At the time of our inspection there was a registered manager in post.

Notice of inspection

This inspection was unannounced.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return (PIR). This is information providers are required to send us annually with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. We used all this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with four people who used the service and five relatives about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with seven members of staff including support workers, deputy manager, registered manager and area manager. We reviewed a range of records, including four peoples care and support plans, multiple medicine records and records relating to the management of the service.

We are improving how we hear people’s experience and views on services, when they have limited verbal communication. We have trained some CQC team members to use a symbol-based communication tool. We checked that this was a suitable communication method and that people were happy to use it with us. We did this by reading their care and communication plans and speaking to staff or relatives and the person themselves. In this report, we used this communication tool with four people to tell us their experience.

Updated 10 February 2023

About the service

Roper House is a residential care home providing regulated activity of personal care for to up to 27 people. The service provides support to people who were deaf and/or blind, some people also had a learning disability. At the time of our inspection there were 22 people using the service. The care home had a number of communal areas and a large garden. There was also two people who lived more independently in self-contained flats, adjoined to the main building.

We expect health and social care providers to guarantee people with a learning disability and autistic people respect, equality, dignity, choices and independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted. ‘Right support, right care, right culture’ is the guidance CQC follows to make assessments and judgements about services supporting people with a learning disability and autistic people and providers must have regard to it.

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

Right Support

People were supported by staff to pursue their interests, one person told us they were supported to do painting which they liked. People had a choice about their living environment and were able to

personalise their rooms. The registered manager told us that people has chosen the colour paint for the hallways. Staff enabled people to access specialist health and social care support in the community, for example occupational therapists and speech and language therapy (SALT).

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.

Right Care

People could communicate with staff and understand information given to them as staff supported them consistently and understood their individual communication needs. The service ensured people had access to an independent British Sign Language interpreter for things such as medical appointments. People received kind and compassionate care. Staff protected and respected people’s privacy and dignity. They understood and responded to their individual needs. Relatives told us they felt the staff were kind and caring. We observed staff being kind and caring towards people.

Right Culture

People received good quality care and support because trained staff and specialists could meet their needs and wishes. For example, staff completed training in learning disabilities and Autism, catheter care, diabetes, epilepsy and dysphagia. People and those important to them, including advocates, were involved in planning their care. For example, best interest meetings were held with family members or advocates. Relatives also told us they were informed if there were any incidents or accidents.

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 the service under the previous provider was good, published on 08 January 2020.

Why we inspected

This inspection was prompted by a review of the information we held about this service.

We looked at infection prevention and control measures under the Safe key question. We look at this in all care home inspections even if no concerns or risks have been identified. This is to provide assurance that the service can respond to COVID-19 and other infection outbreaks effectively.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.