April Court

Updated 13 August 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 7 August 2020 and was announced. The service was selected to take part in this thematic review which is seeking to identify examples of good practice in infection prevention and control.

Updated 13 August 2020

About the service

April Court is a care home for adults with a learning disability. It does not provide nursing care.

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.

The service was a large home, bigger than most domestic style properties. It was registered to accommodate up to 18 people. Fourteen people were living or staying there at the time of the inspection. This is larger than current best practice guidance. However, the size of the service having a negative impact on people was mitigated by the building design fitting into the residential area. There was an emphasis on people living meaningful and active lives within the local community.

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

People and relatives were confident they or their family member were safe. There were enough staff on duty. Staff understood their responsibilities for recognising and reporting abuse. Risks were reviewed regularly and managed in the least restrictive way possible. The premises were kept clean and in good repair. Medicines were managed safely.

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.

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, independence and inclusion. The outcomes for people using the service reflected this. People's support focused on them having as many opportunities as possible for them to gain new skills and become more independent.

Staff treated people kindly and respectfully. Staff got to know people well. They respected and promoted people’s privacy, dignity and independence. People told us they were involved in decisions about their care and relatives said they were consulted and kept well informed.

People were contented. Their needs were viewed holistically and formed the basis of comprehensive, individualised care plans. They had the support they needed to manage their health. People liked the food and said there was plenty of it. Special dietary needs were met. They had a meaningful say in how communal areas were decorated. Staff were well supported through training and supervision.

People told us they got the right support. Relatives commented on how well their loved ones were cared for. Staff had a good understanding of people’s needs. People lived full and active lives. Complaints were addressed and resolved promptly, thoroughly and openly. Although the service did not routinely care for people at the end of their lives, it had recently attained accreditation with a nationally recognised scheme that promotes good end of life care.

Relatives expressed confidence in how the home was run. Staff said the management team were approachable and supportive. There was ongoing oversight by the registered manager and provider, with regular audits to monitor the quality of all aspects of the service. People and staff had a meaningful say in what happened at the service.

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 15 June 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.