Background to this inspection
Updated
12 January 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.
Inspection team
This inspection was conducted by one inspector and an Expert by Experience. 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
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 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.
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.
Inspection activity started on 6 December 2022 and ended on 13 December 2022. We visited the location’s office/service on 6 December 2022.
What we did before the inspection
Before the inspection, we reviewed all the information we held about the service including information about important events which the service is required to tell us about by law. We requested feedback from other stakeholders. These included the local authority safeguarding team, commissioning team and Healthwatch Leeds. Healthwatch is an independent consumer champion that gathers and represents the views of the public about health and social care services in England. 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. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.
During the inspection
During the inspection, we spoke with 6 people using the service and 4 relatives of people using the service. We spoke with 5 staff members; this included care worker, team leader, registered manager and the operations manager.
We looked at care records for 3 people using the service including medicine administration records.
After the inspection
We looked at training, recruitment and supervision records for staff. We also reviewed various policies and procedures and the quality assurance and monitoring systems of the service.
Updated
12 January 2023
About the service
Amblers Orchard provides care 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 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 service.
Not everyone using the service received regulated activity; 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.
The service provided personal care to 19 people at the time of the inspection.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
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 in the service supported this practice. However, we found examples of inconsistent application of the policies. We saw people's mental capacity to make decisions was being considered, but this was not always recorded. This was an area the registered manager had already identified for improvement. We made a recommendation for the provider to review this area.
People told us they felt safe at the service. Relatives agreed their loved ones received safe care. Risk assessments were in place and showed what action had been taken to mitigate identified risks. Medication was managed safely. The provider followed safe recruitment procedures.
People were supported to access relevant healthcare services when they needed them, and they were supported to eat and drink well.
People were supported by staff that were caring, compassionate and respectful. People's independence was promoted, and their confidentiality was protected.
People received care that met their needs. People had opportunities to take part in activities and outings of their choice.
People and relatives shared positive feedback about the quality of care and the management of the service. There was an open culture within the service, where people, staff and healthcare professionals could approach the registered manager with any suggestions or concerns. There were systems in place to monitor and improve the quality of the service.
We expect health and social care providers to guarantee autistic people and people with a learning disability the choices, dignity, independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted. Right support, right care, right culture is the statutory guidance which supports CQC to make assessments and judgements about services providing support to people with a learning disability and/or autistic people. We considered this guidance as there were people using the service who have a learning disability and or who are autistic.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk
Rating at last inspection
This service was registered with us on 1 June 2021 and this is the first inspection.
Why we inspected
This was a planned inspection.
Follow up
We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.