Archived: Penny Meadow

Updated 4 April 2020

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 Care Act 2014.

Inspection team

The inspection was carried out by one inspector.

Service and service type

Penny Meadow is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

A registered manager was in post. The registered manager and the provider are legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided.

Notice of inspection

This inspection was announced. We gave the service 24hrs notice as we wanted to be sure that there would be people using the service and staff available to speak with.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service. We sought feedback from the local authority and professionals who work with the service. The provider was not asked to complete a provider information return prior to this inspection. This is information we require providers to send us to give some key information about their service, what the service does well, and improvements they plan to make. We took this into account when we inspected the service and made our judgements in the report. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We observed the care and support provided and the interaction between one person and a member of staff. We spoke with one person who used the service about their experience of the care provided.

We spoke with the register manager, the provider’s regional manager and two members of care staff.

We reviewed a range of records. This included three people’s care records and medication records. We looked at three staff files in relation to recruitment and staff supervision. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including audits, policies and systems were reviewed.

After the inspection

We received information requested as part of the inspection and electronic feedback from two relatives and one member of staff.

Updated 4 April 2020

About the service

Penny Meadow is a residential care home, which provides short-term respite overnight accommodation and personal care for up to two people who have a learning disability or autistic spectrum disorder at a time. It operates between the hours of 4pm and 10am the following day.

The provider had a day centre close to the respite home which people accessed. However, this report only relates to the provider's provision of residential respite care. The day centre services fall outside the regulatory remit of the Care Quality Commission (CQC) and were not assessed as part of this inspection

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.

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

People were treated with kindness and compassion by the staff and had their privacy and dignity respected. Systems within the home supported people to be involved with decisions about their care and support as much as possible.

People and relatives described positive relationships with the staff and management team. People were encouraged and enabled to pursue their hobbies, participate in activities of their choice and to access the community. Staff practice promoted people's rights and independence.

Safe care and support were provided to people. Staff were aware of risks to people’s safety and knew how to respond appropriately through safeguarding processes. Where required people were supported to access healthcare services and appropriate referrals were made. Staff supported people with their nutritional needs and to maintain their health. The home was clean and hygienic throughout and safe management of medicines was in place.

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible.

Care was tailored to the person who received the support and care plans were detailed and comprehensive. People received effective personal care and support from staff who knew them well and were well trained and regularly supervised. There were enough staff who had been recruited safely to meet people’s needs.

A complaints process was in place with feedback welcomed and acted on. Regular checks and audits were carried out to monitor the quality of care people received and to provide management with necessary oversight of the home.

Rating at last inspection

This is the first inspection for this service.

The previous provider of Penny Meadow was Penny Meadow Life Skills Limited. On 5 April 2019, Care Management Group Limited took over as the new registered provider of Penny Meadow.

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection following registration on 5 April 2019.

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.

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