Archived: Rydal House

Updated 20 January 2023

The inspection

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (the Act) as part of our regulatory functions. We checked whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Act. We looked at the overall quality of the service and provided a rating for the service under the Health and Social Care Act 2008.

As part of this inspection we looked at the infection control and prevention measures in place. This was conducted so we can understand the preparedness of the service in preventing or managing an infection outbreak, and to identify good practice we can share with other services.

Inspection team

The inspection was carried out by 1 inspector.

Service and service type

Rydal House is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement dependent on their registration with us. Rydal House is a care home without nursing care. Care Quality Commission (CQC) regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

Registered manager

This provider is required to have a registered manager to oversee the delivery of regulated activities at this location. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Registered managers and providers are legally responsible for how the service is run, for the quality and safety of the care provided and compliance with regulations.

At the time of our inspection there was a registered manager in post.

Notice of inspection

We gave the service short notice of the inspection. This was because the service is small and people are often out and we wanted to be sure there would be people at home to speak with us.

What we did before the inspection

We sought feedback from partner agencies and professionals and we used information gathered as part of monitoring activity that took place on 2 August 2022 to help plan the inspection and inform our judgements. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with 4 people living at the service and 3 relatives. We spoke with 5 members of staff including the registered manager, deputy manager, senior care staff and care staff. We reviewed a range of records, including 3 people’s care records and multiple medicine records. We looked at 3 staff recruitment files in relation to safe recruitment. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures were reviewed.

Updated 20 January 2023

We expect health and social care providers to guarantee people with a learning disability and autistic people respect, equality, dignity, choices and independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted. ‘Right support, right care, right culture’ is the guidance CQC follows to make assessments and judgements about services supporting people with a learning disability and autistic people and providers must have regard to it.

About the service

Rydal House is a residential care home providing personal care to up to 8 people. The service provides support to adults with learning disabilities or autistic spectrum disorder, dementia, mental health issues, sensory impairments and physical disabilities. At the time of our inspection there were 6 people using the service.

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

Right support

People and relatives told us they were happy with the décor of the care home, and people told us they were able to decorate their own bedrooms.

There were enough suitably trained staff to support people and pre-employment checks had been carried out, although not all identification details were kept in staff files.

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 chose how to spend their day and staff encouraged people to make their own decisions.

Staff managed people’s medicines safely and empowered people to manage their own medicines where possible.

People were involved in their own care and staff supported people to remain healthy. Staff encouraged people to have a healthy diet.

Right care

Some people may not have been able to understand all their care documentation but this was detailed and people had no concerns about how care staff supported them. People could communicate with staff and staff were patient with people when trying to interpret their needs where communication was more difficult.

Staff were kind and understood how to support all the people in the home. Staff promoted people’s dignity and privacy.

Staff knew how to keep people safe from abuse and the training and policies in place supported staff to do this.

People’s care folders were personalised and reflected each person’s interests and goals to promote their wellbeing.

People were involved in assessing risks and staff were promoting positive risk taking.

Right Culture

Staff knew people well and worked with people to identify their own goals. Although some delays from professionals has potentially led to poorer outcomes for 1 person, the registered manager told us how staff worked together to support the person.

People were supported to maintain links with family in line with their own wishes. Relatives told us there was open communication with the registered manager.

People were encouraged to lead fulfilling lives and staff told us how they were trying to promote people’s independence.

People were encouraged to engage with the community and links with community groups were promoted. People regularly accessed the community to participate in activities as well as accessed local amenities.

People were included and involved in the home and their views were considered through open communication as well as regular resident meetings.

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

Rating at last inspection

This service was registered with us on 13 May 2020 and this is the first inspection.

Why we inspected

This inspection was prompted by a review of the information we held about this service.

We looked at infection prevention and control measures under the safe key question. We look at this in all care home inspections even if no concerns or risks have been identified. This is to provide assurance that the service can respond to COVID-19 and other infection outbreaks effectively.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.