Archived: Applewood House & Apartments

Updated 11 March 2016

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection was planned to check 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 9 February 2016 and was unannounced.

The inspection was conducted by one inspector and an expert by experience. An expert-by-experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of care service

To help us plan our inspection we reviewed previous inspection reports, information received from external stakeholders and statutory notifications. A notification is information about important events which the provider is required to send us by law. We also contacted external healthcare professionals to gain their views of the service provided.

During the inspection we spoke with five people who used the service, four relatives, and four members of the care staff, the home leader and the registered manager. We also carried out observations of staff interacting with the people they supported.

We looked at the support records for four of the people who used the service, and also reviewed parts of other records for other people. This included people’s medicine administration records and accident and incident logs. In addition we reviewed company quality assurance audits and policies and procedures.

Updated 11 March 2016

We carried out an unannounced inspection of the service on 9 February 2016. Applewood House & Apartments is registered to accommodate up to thirteen people and specialises in providing care and support for people who live with a learning disability. At the time of the inspection there were twelve people using the service.

On the day of our inspection there was a registered manager in place. 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.

The risk to people’s safety was reduced because staff had attended safeguarding adults training, could identify the different types of abuse, and knew the procedure for reporting concerns. Risk assessments had been completed in areas where people’s safety could be at risk. People had the freedom to live their lives as they wanted to. Staff were recruited in a safe way and there were enough staff to meet people’s needs and to keep them safe.

Accidents and incidents were investigated. Assessments of the risks associated with the environment which people lived were carried out and people had personal emergency evacuation plans (PEEPs) in place. People’s medicines were stored, handled and administered safely.

People were supported by staff who received an induction, were well trained and received regular assessments of their work.

The registered manager ensured the principles of the Mental Capacity Act (2005) had been applied when decisions had been made for people. However there were a small number of best interest documentation that were not available within people’s support records. Staff ensured people were given choices about their support needs and day to day life. Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards had been applied for and where applications had been granted, appropriate safeguards were in place.

People spoke highly of the food and were supported to follow a healthy and balanced diet. People’s day to day health needs were met by the staff and external professionals. Referrals to relevant health services were made where needed.

Staff supported people in a kind and caring way. Staff understood people’s needs and listened to and acted upon their views. Staff responded quickly to people who had become distressed.

People were able to contribute to decisions about their care and support needs. People were provided with an independent advocate, if appropriate, to support them with decisions about their care. Staff understood how to maintain people’s dignity. People’s friends and relatives were able to visit whenever they wanted to.

People’s care records were person centred and focused on what was important to them. Care records were regularly reviewed. People were encouraged to take part in activities that were important to them and were provided with the information they needed if they wished to make a complaint.

There was a positive atmosphere at the home. The registered manager had an ‘open door’ policy and welcomed people to talk with them. People spoke highly of the registered manager. The registered manager understood their responsibilities and ensured staff felt able to contribute to the development of the service. People who used the service were encouraged to provide their feedback on how the service could be improved.

There were a number of quality assurance processes in place that regularly assessed the quality and effectiveness of the support provided.