Archived: Ravenscroft

Updated 24 August 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 inspection took place on 10 August 2018 and was unannounced.

It was carried out by one adult social care inspector.

Before the inspection, we had received a completed Provider Information Return (PIR). We used information the provider sent us in the Provider Information Return. This is information we require providers to send us at least once annually to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We reviewed other information we held about the service as part of our inspection. This included the notifications we had received from the provider. Notifications are changes, events or incidents the provider is legally obliged to send CQC within required timescales. We also contacted commissioners from the Local Authorities who contracted people’s care.

During this inspection we carried out observations using the Short Observational Framework for Inspection (SOFI). SOFI is a specific way of observing care to help us understand the experience of people who could not communicate with us.

We undertook general observations in communal areas and during a mealtime.

During the inspection we spoke with five people who lived at Ravenscroft, the deputy manager, one senior support worker and two support workers. We reviewed a range of records about people's care and how the service was managed. We looked at care records for three people, recruitment records for three staff, two peoples’ medicines records, staffing rosters, staff meeting minutes, meeting minutes for people who used the service, maintenance contracts and quality assurance audits the registered manager had completed.

Updated 24 August 2018

This inspection took place on 10 August 2018 and was unannounced. This meant the staff and provider did not know we would be visiting.

Ravenscroft is a care home. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as single package under one contractual agreement. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

Ravenscroft provides accommodation for a maximum of seven people who have a learning impairment or associated condition. At the time of inspection seven people were living at the service accommodated in two adjoining bungalows.

The care service has been developed and designed in line with the values that underpin the Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. These values include choice, promotion of independence and inclusion. People with learning disabilities who use the service can live as ordinary a life as any citizen.

At our last inspection in April 2016 we rated the service good. At this inspection we found the evidence continued to support the rating of good and there was no evidence or information from our inspection and ongoing monitoring that demonstrated serious risks or concerns. This inspection report is written in a shorter format because our overall rating of the service has not changed since our last inspection.

Some people were unable to tell us about the service because of their complex needs. People appeared content and relaxed with the staff who supported them. Other people told us they were satisfied with the service provided by staff. Staff knew the people they were supporting well and there were enough staff on duty to provide individual care to people.

Detailed records accurately reflected the care provided by staff. People’s privacy and dignity were maintained. Staff understood the needs of people and care plans and associated documentation were clear and person-centred. Risk assessments were in place and they accurately identified current risks to the person as well as ways for staff to minimise or appropriately manage those risks.

People had access to health care professionals to make sure they received appropriate care and treatment. Staff followed advice given by professionals to make sure people received the care they needed. People received their medicines safely. We have made a recommendation about medicines management. People received a varied diet.

People were protected as staff had received training about safeguarding and knew how to respond to any allegation of abuse. Staff received other appropriate training and they were supervised and supported. When new staff were appointed, thorough vetting checks were carried out to make sure they were suitable to work with people who needed care and support.

People were encouraged and supported to go out and engage with the local community and maintain relationships that were important to them. They were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible, the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

People and staff spoke well of the registered manager, they said the management team were approachable. There were effective systems to enable people to raise complaints, and to assess and monitor the quality of the service. The provider undertook a range of audits to check on the quality of care provided.

Further information is in the detailed findings below.