Conifers

Updated 27 January 2022

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.

As part of CQC’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic we are looking at how services manage infection control and visiting arrangements. This was a targeted inspection looking at the infection prevention and control measures the provider had in place. We also asked the provider about any staffing pressures the service was experiencing and whether this was having an impact on the service.

This inspection took place on 11 January 2022 and was announced. We gave the service 24 hours notice of the inspection.

Updated 27 January 2022

About the service

Conifers is a care home which provides short and long-term respite services for up to nine people who are over 18 years old and require support with learning and physical disabilities. People who use the service have associated conditions that may include, autism, sensory and communication difficulties. At the time of the visit there were eight people staying in the service. Two people were on long term respite.

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. Registering the Right Support principles 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

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. People were asked to consent to care. Staff had received training and were knowledgeable about the principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005.

People and their relatives told us they felt safe and received their medicines on time. Staff knew how to manage risks effectively and identify signs and symptoms of abuse and who to report concerns to. Accidents and incidents had been reported and medical attention sought where required. The registered provider continued to operate robust recruitment procedures and staffing levels delivered responsive support to people. The home was well maintained, clean and staff had access to protective equipment to protect people from the risk of infections.

Staff continued to receive training and supervision throughout their employment to ensure they had the skills to provide effective care. Staff felt very supported by the registered manager and management team. People’s nutritional needs were assessed and met. Staff worked with community health professionals to ensure people received effective care.

Staff treated people with dignity and were respectful. We saw lots of caring and positive interactions between people and staff.

Care plans contained personalised information on people’s health and communication needs plus their likes and dislikes. People were provided with activities of their choice to keep them active in the community. There was a complaints policy that supported positive engagement and timely action. The provider needed to establish systems for supporting people towards the end of their life.

The service was well led. People’s relative’s and staff spoke positively about the registered manager and management team. There was a positive culture throughout the service which focused on providing care that was individualised.

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

The Secretary of State has asked the Care Quality Commission (CQC) to conduct a thematic review and to make recommendations about the use of restrictive interventions in settings that provide care for people with or who might have mental health problems, learning disabilities and/or autism. Thematic reviews look in-depth at specific issues concerning quality of care across the health and social care sectors. They expand our understanding of both good and poor practice and of the potential drivers of improvement.

As part of thematic review, we carried out a survey with the registered manager at this inspection. This considered whether the service used any restrictive intervention practices (restraint, seclusion and segregation) when supporting people.

The service used some restrictive intervention practices as a last resort, in a person-centred way, in line with positive behaviour support principles.

Rating at last inspection

The last rating for this service was good (published 10 March 2017).

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.

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.