Archived: The Ridgeway

Updated 6 December 2017

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection checked 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 5 and 12 October 2017 and was carried out by one inspector. The provider was given 48 hours’ notice because the location provides a domiciliary care service in people’s own homes and we needed to be sure that someone would be available to assist with the inspection.

At the last inspection on 8 July 2014 the service met the regulations we inspected.

In September 2016 the provider completed a Provider Information Return (PIR). This is a form that asks the provider to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. Before our inspection, we also reviewed the information we held about the service. This included notifications of incidents that the provider had sent us since the last inspection.

During our inspection we met and spoke with all four people who used the service. We also observed the support provided by the staff. We spoke with four members of staff, the registered manager and the regional director. We looked at three people’s care records and other records relating to the service. This included four sets of staff recruitment records, duty rosters, accident and incident records, complaints, quality monitoring records and medicine management records.

After the inspection we spoke to two people's relatives by telephone and received written feedback from two healthcare professionals.

Updated 6 December 2017

This inspection took place on 5 and 12 October 2017. The provider was given 48 hours’ notice because the location provides a domiciliary care service in people’s own homes and we needed to be sure that someone would be available to assist with the inspection.

The Ridgeway is registered to provide personal care to people in their own homes. At the time of the inspection they were providing a supported living service to four people who lived together in a shared house. Supported living is where people live in their own home and receive care and/or support in order to promote their independence.

The service has a registered manager. 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 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

People received a safe service. Systems were in place to minimise risk and to ensure that people were supported as safely as possible. Staff were aware of their responsibilities to ensure people were safe and what to do if they had any concerns. They were confident that the registered manager would address any concerns.

People were treated with respect and their privacy and dignity was maintained. They were supported by a caring staff team who knew them well.

Systems were in place to ensure that people received their prescribed medicines safely. Medicines were administered by staff who were trained and assessed as being competent to do this.

Staff received the support and training they needed to give them the necessary skills and knowledge to meet people’s assessed needs, preferences and choices.

People were protected by the provider’s recruitment process, which ensured that staff were suitable to work with people who need support.

People were encouraged to develop their skills and to be as independent as possible. They were supported by staff to carry out daily living activities such as shopping, cooking, cleaning and laundry.

People were actively involved in developing their support plans and agreeing how they should be supported. Care records contained detailed information about people’s needs, wishes, likes, dislikes and preferences.

The registered manager and the provider monitored the quality of service provided to ensure that people received a safe and effective service that met their needs.

Staffing levels were sufficient to meet people’s needs and to enable them to do be supported flexibly and in a way they wished.

People were encouraged to make choices and to have as much control as possible over what they did and how they were supported. Systems were in place to ensure that their human rights were protected.

Staff felt the registered manager was approachable and supportive and gave them clear guidance.