Pogles Wood

Pogles Wood is a care home registered for one person diagnosed with autistic spectrum disorders and learning disabilities. The home was an adapted building in a residential area of Wimborne, Dorset.

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 judgement about services providing support to people with a learning disability and/or autistic people.

This service was able to demonstrate how they were meeting the underpinning principles of Right support, right care, right culture. The provider's model of care and the layout of the premises maximised people’s choice, control and independence. Care was person-centred and promoted people’s dignity, privacy and human rights. The ethos, values, attitudes and behaviours of management and care staff ensured the person using the service led their best life.

As a newly registered service Pogles Wood's governance systems were in the process of being introduced and had not yet fully embedded into the home. We found areas for improvement in the overall governance of the home, in recruitment and in the storage of medicines.

Staff knew the person living at Pogles Wood very well. The person received a personalised service from friendly, knowledgeable staff who treated them with patience, kindness, dignity and respect. Health and social care professionals spoke positively of the management and staff team and commented they were happy with the service and level of care given.

The person was supported by a consistent team of staff who knew them well. Appropriate staffing levels were maintained at all times to ensure the person was cared for safely.

People’s healthcare needs were met, and staff supported them to see healthcare professionals when appropriate. Medicines were managed and administered safely. Improvements were needed in the storage of medicines, however the provider acted immediately during the inspection to ensure safe storage of medicines was put in place. People were supported to take their medicines safely by staff who had received the appropriate levels of training.

Staff spoke knowledgeably on how to identify and report abuse and were well supported in their roles. A regular schedule of staff supervision was being implemented and staff had received an interim appraisal. Staff received core and specialist training and support to assist the person in ways to meet their needs.

Risks to the person’s health, safety and well-being were assessed, reviewed and updated.

Communication styles and methods were tailored to the individual person and staff supported people to understand the choices available to them.

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.

For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk

Rating at last inspection

This service was registered with us on 9 /12/2019 and this is the first inspection.

Why we inspected

This was the first planned inspection for this service since the service registered with us.

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.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.