Peppard House

Updated 7 June 2018

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.

The inspection was unannounced and took place on 03 May 2018.The inspection was completed by one inspector.

We used information the provider sent us in the Provider Information Return (PIR) to plan the inspection. This is information we require providers to send us to give us some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make.

We looked at all the information we have collected about the service. This included the previous inspection report and notifications the registered manager had sent us. A notification is information about important events which the service is required to tell us about by law.

We looked at paperwork for four people who live in the service. This included support plans, daily notes and other documentation, such as medication records. In addition we looked at records related to the running of the service. These included a sample of health and safety, quality assurance, staff and training records.

We spoke with a small number of people who live in the service and some of their relatives. We observed interactions between people and the care staff throughout the visits. We spoke with four staff members, a visiting professional and the registered manager. The area manager attended for the feedback session. We requested information from eight professionals including the local safeguarding team. We received responses from four. We received written comments from three families. All responses were extremely positive.

Updated 7 June 2018

This was an unannounced inspection which took place on 03 May 2018.

Peppard House is a care home (without nursing) which is registered to provide a service for up to seven people with learning disabilities. People had other associated difficulties such as behavioural issues and being on the autistic spectrum.

People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement. The Care Quality Commission (CQC) regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

Peppard House accommodates people in a large domestic sized building. The service was run in line with the values that underpin the “registering the right support’’ and other best practice guidance. These values include choice, promotion of independence and inclusion. People with learning disabilities and autism can lead as ordinary a life as any citizen.

At the last inspection, on 23 February 2016, the service was rated as good in all domains. This meant that the service was rated as overall good. At this inspection we found the service had improved to outstanding in two domains and therefore had improved to an overall rating of outstanding.

Why the service is rated outstanding.

The service was exceptionally responsive and strove to meet people’s aspirations and lifestyle choices. It was flexible and readily adapted to meet people’s changing, diverse and complex needs. It was extraordinarily person centred and people were seen and responded to as individuals. Activity programmes were creative and designed to meet people’s individual preferences and choices. Care planning was highly individualised and regularly reviewed which ensured people’s current needs were met and their equality and diversity was respected.

The registered manager was extremely experienced, respected and highly thought of by staff, families and other professionals. She and the management team ensured the service was exceptionally well-led. The registered manager and the staff team were committed to ensuring they offered people the very best care possible and that people were as involved as possible in running the service. The quality of care the service provided was constantly assessed, reviewed and improved by the provider, people and the staff team.

People continued to be protected from all forms of abuse. Staff were trained in safeguarding people and knew what action to take if they identified any concerns. The service identified general health and safety and individual risks. Action was taken to reduce identified risks. All aspects of safety were considered and actions were taken to assist people to remain as safe as possible.

People continued to be supported by appropriate staffing ratios, which were reviewed on a daily basis. Staff were able to meet people’s specific needs, including any diversity, safely. Recruitment systems made sure, that as far as possible, staff recruited were safe and suitable to work with people. People were supported to take their medicines, at the right times and in the right amounts by trained and competent staff.

A well-trained and knowledgeable staff team remained able to offer people effective care. They met people’s diverse needs including their current and changing health and emotional well-being needs. The service worked very closely with health and other professionals to ensure they offered individuals the best care in the most effective and comfortable way.

People continued to be supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible. The policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

The caring, committed and enthusiastic staff team continued to meet people’s needs with kindness and respect. They ensured they promoted people’s privacy and dignity and communicated with them effectively.