Lang Riggs House

Updated 13 November 2020

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.

This was a targeted inspection looking at the infection control and prevention measures the provider has in place. As part of CQC’s response to the coronavirus pandemic we are conducting a thematic review of infection control and prevention measures in care homes.

This inspection took place on 30 October 2020 and was announced. The service was invited to take part in this thematic review which is seeking to identify examples of good practice in infection prevention and control.

Updated 13 November 2020

About the service

Lang Riggs House is a residential care home providing personal and nursing care to four people aged 16 to 25 years old at the time of the inspection. The service can accommodate a maximum of four people in one adapted building.

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. This 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.

There were deliberately no identifying signs, intercom, cameras, industrial bins or anything else outside to indicate it was a care home. Staff were also discouraged from wearing anything that suggested they were care staff when coming and going with people.

People’s experience of using this service and what we found

People received an exemplary standard of effective mental health rehabilitation because they were supported by an in house, highly skilled staff team. Staff received bespoke training which focused on how best to support people in an individualised way. 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 experienced positive outcomes because of the excellent standard of person-centred support staff provided. People had exceeded expectations and goals set by clinical professionals. People engaged in education, volunteer work and community projects. Staff understood the importance of positive risk taking and how to develop people’s confidence and life skills.

The service applied the principles and values of Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. These ensure that people who use the service can live as full a life as possible and achieve the best possible outcomes that include control, choice and independence. The outcomes for people using the service reflected the principles and values of Registering the Right Support by promoting choice and control, independence and inclusion. People's support focused on them having as many opportunities as possible for them to gain new skills and become more independent.

People received safe care. Staff protected them from the risk of abuse and avoidable harm. People’s medicines were managed in a safe way. Staff monitored, analysed and learnt from accidents and incidents. Staff maintained accurate records. There was a very high standard of effective communication with people, staff and other stakeholders.

People told us they felt involved in decisions made about their care and treatment. Staff supported people in a kind and respectful way. Staff had built trusting relationships with people and understood the best way to communicate with them. The service effectively used Positive Behaviour Support (PBS), this approach is a person-centred framework for providing long-term support to people with a learning disability, and/or autism, including those with mental health conditions, who have, or may be at risk of developing, behaviours that challenge.

The service was well-led. The registered manager had left their role before the inspection and an interim manager was deployed by the provider immediately. The interim manager had a good understanding of the service and people they supported. Governance systems were robust and all staff were involved in the running of the service. The provider and senior management team had identified some shortfalls before the inspection and had an improvement plan which showed clear timelines and action planning.

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

Rating at last inspection

The last rating for this service was good (published 18 July 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.