The Care Quality Commission
  • Care Home
  • Care home

Archived: Cardinals Gate

Overall: Good read more about inspection ratings

55 Cardinals Gate, Werrington, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, PE4 5AT (01733) 576660

Provided and run by:
Community Care Solutions Limited

All Inspections

18 November 2014 and 21 November 2014

During a routine inspection

Cardinals Gate is a registered care home which provides accommodation, support and non-nursing care for up to six people living with learning disabilities, autism or mental health issues. Nursing care is not provided. At the time of our inspection there were four people living at the home. The home is located in Werrington near Peterborough and accommodation is provided in a large bungalow. There are six individual bedrooms, communal areas, including a dining room and lounge, for people and their visitors and a large garden.

This announced inspection took place on 18 & 21 November 2014 and was undertaken by one inspector. The last inspection took place on 8 May 2013 where we found the provider was meeting the regulations we looked at.

The home has a registered manager in post. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission 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 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

People were kept safe because staff knew how to recognise and report abuse. Staff understood the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards and the impact for people in the home who could be subject to the Act. Best interest assessments had been completed for people who lacked capacity.

Staff received a comprehensive induction and were supported in their roles through regular supervision and annual appraisals.

People’s health and care needs were assessed and reviewed. People had access to a wide variety of health professionals who were requested appropriately and who provided information and plans to maintain people’s health and wellbeing.

People’s relatives and staff told us they would be confident raising any concerns or complaints with the management and that action would be taken. Relatives advocated on behalf of people in the home, but information was available about independent advocates together with easy read information so that people could be supported to raise concerns.

People were encouraged in their individual social activities and interests by staff who understood and supported them.

Relatives of people in the home were very happy with the staff and manager and were kept up to date about their family member’s health and welfare. They were included in any meetings, which they attended when possible, and they felt that the staff listened to them and acted on any requests or comments for their family member.

The provider had an effective quality assurance system in place which it used to help drive improvements to people’s care and the home they lived in.

8 May 2013

During a routine inspection

People living at Cardinals Gate were only provided with care and support that they had provided a valid consent for. Staff knew how and when a valid consent was required. People could change their minds if they did not agree to do something.

People's plans of care were person centred. People were supported to achieve and maintain a healthy lifestyle. One person said, "I love it here. The staff help me with things I like doing." People were supported to attend health care appointments such as visits to, or by, their GP whenever this was required.

People who live at the service told us they felt safe living there and also when they were involved with their social activities away from their home. Staff were knowledgeable about the safeguarding of vulnerable adults and knew how to report abuse if it were to occur.

There were sufficient numbers of staff with the right skills to support people living at the service. Staff and relatives we spoke with told us that they felt that there was always sufficient numbers of staff available to support people whenever they needed this.

10 October 2012

During a routine inspection

The purpose of this review was to conduct an unannounced inspection and assess improvements made in relation to shortfalls identified during our previous review of compliance undertaken on 06 December 2011. During our visit on 10 October 2012 we did speak to people about their experience of living in the home and people told us they were happy and that staff supported them when they needed it.

One relative who we spoke with said, "The manager has made a big improvement to our son's quality of life. Our son can do so much more now than he used to."

We spoke with people and they told us, "I like it here the staff are so friendly."

Some people were not able to communicate verbally but they demonstrated signs of physical and emotional well being. People looked happy and calm with the support they received from staff, when it was provided.

We reviewed people's care plans and found that there was plenty of detailed care information that would allow any member of staff to care for that person.

We looked at people's medicines administration records and found that these were all accurate. We saw that the manager checked the medicines administration records and documented this on a monthly basis.

We found that staff were supported to gain further qualifications in health care.

We also saw that the service monitored the quality of service provided and made changes where the need had been identified. People were able to contribute to the way the service was run.

6 December 2011

During a routine inspection

People we spoke with at the home told us they enjoyed living there and that staff treated them in a way that they liked. They told us the food was 'Alright' and that they liked their bedrooms. One person told us he rarely got bored, but another reported that she wanted to get out more as she particularly enjoyed shopping. Some people were unable to communicate verbally but showed good signs of well being and looked relaxed and content, and interacted confidently with staff.

Relatives we spoke with were mostly happy with the quality of care their family member received. One told us, 'We bring our son home at week-ends but come Sunday he is always keen to get back to Cardinal's Gate'. Another relative described the staff as, 'Helpful and willing to go the extra mile', and another stated, 'Staff have a special care for my son and his personal care is exemplary when he comes home'. Relatives we spoke with told us they previously had concerns about the high turn over of staff and managers in recent years, but that things had settled now, and they were confident in the current manager's capabilities.

One relative felt that the mix of people in the home was not right, with too many different needs being catered for. Another relative told us that, in their opinion, six people were too many people to be accommodated given the size of the house.