Northfield House

Updated 4 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 was carried out by an inspector who visited the location and an Expert by Experience who made phone calls to people’s relatives. 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

Northfield 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. Northfield 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 looked at the information we had received from and about the service.

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 met with everyone who lived at the home and spoke with 5 people. We also spoke with 4 members of staff and the registered manager. Throughout the day we were able to observe interactions between people and staff.

We spoke with 5 relatives on the phone and received written feedback from 3 staff members and a healthcare professional.

We looked at a variety of records relating to people’s individual support and the running of the home. These included, 2 staff recruitment files, health and safety checks, minutes of meetings, a sample of medication administration records and a sample of personal risk assessments.

Updated 4 February 2023

About the service

Northfield House is a residential care home providing accommodation and personal care to up to 11 people. The service provides support to people who have a learning disability and autistic people. At the time of our inspection there were 11 people using the service.

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

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.

Right Support:

People lived in a domestic dwelling within walking distance of local shops and amenities. There was a bus stop nearby which enabled people to use public transport if they wished to travel further afield. People also had access to home vehicles which could accommodate wheelchair users.

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.

Staff supported people with their medicines in a way that promoted their independence and achieved the best possible health outcome. Staff worked with other professionals to avoid people taking unnecessary medicines.

People were supported by staff to pursue their interests and take on new challenges to enhance their quality of life. Discussions with people and staff demonstrated that people led very active and social lives and were able to try new things that interested them.

Right Care:

Staff understood how to protect people from poor care and abuse. The service worked well with other agencies to do so. Staff had training on how to recognise and report abuse and they knew how to apply it.

The service had enough appropriately skilled staff to meet people’s needs and keep them safe. People and relatives were very complimentary about the staff and thought they always went the extra mile to ensure people were content and happy.

Risk assessments were carried out to promote independence, enable people to try new things and take positive risks to achieve their goals.

Right Culture:

The registered manager led by example to create a positive person-centred culture.

People and their relatives were involved in social occasions and reviews of care.

People were active members of their local community in accordance with their wishes and interests.

People were supported by staff who understood best practice in relation to the wide range of strengths, impairments or sensitivities people with a learning disability and/or autistic people may have. This meant people received compassionate and empowering care that was tailored to their specific needs.

Staff knew and understood people extremely well and were responsive, supporting their aspirations to live a quality life of their choosing. Everyone was cared for and valued as the individual they were.

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 12 January 2018.)

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.

This was a focussed inspection which looked at the key questions of safe and well led only.

For those key questions not inspected, we used the ratings awarded at the last inspection to calculate the overall rating.

The overall rating for the service has not changed from good based on the findings of this inspection.

You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Northfield House on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.

Follow up

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