Sunset Cottage

Updated 7 March 2020

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 Care Act 2014.

Inspection team

The inspection was carried out by one inspector

Service and service type

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

The service had a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. The registered manager is also one of the providers. Registered managers and providers are legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided.

Notice of inspection

We gave the service five days’ notice of the inspection. This was because it is a small service and we needed to be sure that the provider or registered manager would available to support the inspection. We also wanted to be sure people would be at home so that we could meet them.

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. 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. This information helps support our inspections. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spent three days inspecting three of the four services run by the providers – Palace Farm, Summer Cottage and Sunset Cottage. We looked at the administrative and management processes that covered each of the four services run by the providers, including Lynwood (which was not inspected at this time). The staff team covered all four of the services and therefore some parts of this report are repeated in the reports for Palace Farm and Summer Cottage. However, the lives and experiences of the people living in each service were different and unique, and their views are reflected in each report.

We spoke with three people who lived there. We spoke with the providers, their consultant, two administration staff, two heads of care and seven members of staff.

We reviewed a range of records. This included two people’s care records and multiple medication records. We looked at two staff files in relation to recruitment and staff supervision. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures were reviewed.

After the inspection

We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found. We looked at training data, staff rotas and quality assurance records. We received e mails from three relatives and six members of staff. We also spoke with one relative on the telephone.

Updated 7 March 2020

About the service

Sunset Cottage is a residential care home providing personal care for up to five people with learning disabilities or autistic spectrum disorders. At the time of this inspection there were five people living there. The property is a detached house in a residential area on the edge of Chudleigh. There are no outward signs that it is a care home.

Sunset Cottage is registered under the provider name of Dalskats Limited and operates under a brand name of "Home Orchard", along with three other local services. The four services share administrative facilities, records and management systems based at Palace Farm. The four services are all located within approximately 400 yards of each other. The services work closely together; staff work between the services by agreement and people living in each service mix socially and share some day activities.

The service has been developed and designed in line with the principles and values that underpin Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. This ensures that people who use the service can live as full a life as possible and achieve the best possible outcomes. The principles reflect the need for people with learning disabilities and/or autism to live meaningful lives that include control, choice, and independence. People using the service receive planned and co-ordinated person-centred support that is appropriate and inclusive for them.

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

Sunset Cottage offers people a wide range of opportunities to lead an active and fulfilling life. People used the facilities in the grounds of Palace Farm next door where they could pursue activities such as gardening, bee keeping, animal care, games, arts and crafts. Palace Farm is a smallholding which was set up for people with learning disabilities who live in the four homes run by the provider. One person had enjoyed looking after and riding two horses until they were recently retired, and they looked forward to new horses being introduced in the near future. People held voluntary jobs and attended social events, clubs and churches in the local community.

There was a stable, happy and well-trained staff group. People told us they liked all the staff and comments included, "I like the staff". People said staff were always kind. There were enough staff to support each person in their daily activities. Care was taken when recruiting staff to ensure new staff were entirely suitable for the job. People living in the home were involved in choosing new staff. Staff praised the providers and management team for the support they received. Comments included, "It’s a lovely place to work".

The home was comfortable, clean, well maintained and safe. People were involved and consulted in the decoration and furnishings. Risk assessments had been carried out on the environment, equipment, and on people’s health, wellbeing and daily activities. Staff knew how to support people to stay as safe and healthy as possible.

People were supported to eat a healthy diet. They grew many plants and vegetables in the gardens which were used in their meals. They also used eggs from their own chickens and honey from their own bees. People were supported to plan and prepare their own meals as far as they were able.

Each person had their own support plan setting out clearly how they wanted to be supported in all areas of their daily lives. Support plans were regularly reviewed and updated. Relatives were involved and consulted.

The service was well-led. There were good systems in place to monitor and improve the service. People, staff and relatives praised the providers and management team for their caring ethos. Comments from relatives included, “I am very happy with my son’s placement at Sunset Cottage, Palace Farm. He considers it his home after being there for many years and knows the staff and other residents well”, “We believe this is a very well-run service” and “Sunset is well run and communication between staff and myself frequent”.

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported support them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service supported/ did not support this practice.

The service applied the principles and values of Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. These ensure that people who use the service can live as full a life as possible and achieve the best possible outcomes that include control, choice and independence. The outcomes for people using the service reflected the principles and values of Registering the Right Support by promoting choice and control, independence and inclusion. People's support focused on them having as many opportunities as possible for them to gain new skills and become more independent.

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 July 2017)

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.