Archived: Cotswold Court

Updated 20 July 2018

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, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

Prior to the inspection we looked at information about the service including notifications and any other information received from other agencies. Notifications are information about specific important events the service is legally required to report to us. We reviewed the Provider Information Record (PIR). The PIR was information given to us by the provider. This is a form that asks the provider to give some key information about the service, tells us what the service does well and the improvements they plan to make.

This inspection took place on 24 May and 5 June 2018 and was unannounced. The inspection included looking at records, speaking to people who use the service, talking with staff and phone calls and emails to relatives and health professionals. The inspection was completed by one adult social care inspector.

We spoke with a representative of the provider, the registered manager of the service and five members of care staff. We spoke with three people living at Cotswold Court. We also spoke with three relatives of people living at the service and four health and social care professionals who have regular contact with the provider.

Updated 20 July 2018

This inspection was completed on 24 May and 5 June 2018 and was unannounced.

Cotswold Court 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. Cotswold Court accommodates 6 people with learning disabilities in one adapted building. There were 6 people living at Cotswold Court at the time of the inspection.

The care service has been developed and designed in line with the values that underpin the Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. These values include choice, promotion of independence and inclusion. People with learning disabilities and autism using the service can live as ordinary a life as any citizen.

There was a registered manager in post at the service. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Like registered providers, they are ‘registered persons’. Registered persons have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run

The previous inspection was completed in March 2017 and the service was rated ‘Requires Improvement’ overall. At this inspection we found two breaches of the regulations. The recording of the administration of medicines was not completed accurately. We also found quality audits had not always identified the shortfalls in the recording of medicines and as a result no action was taken to minimise the risks to people. We carried out a focussed inspection in September 2017 to check whether the service was meeting the requirements of the regulations. At our focussed inspection, we found improvements had been made and the service was meeting the requirements of the regulations. We did not change the overall rating of ‘requires improvement’ for this service following our focused inspection because we did not review all of the key questions.

At this inspection, we found these improvements had been sustained and the service has been rated ‘Good’ overall.

People received safe care and treatment. Staff had been trained in safeguarding and had a good understanding of safeguarding policies and procedures. The administration and management of medicines was safe. There were sufficient numbers of staff working at the service. There was a robust recruitment process to ensure suitable staff were recruited.

Risk assessments were updated to ensure people were supported in a safe manner and risks were minimised. Where people had suffered an accident, themes and trends had been analysed, and action had been taken to ensure people were safe and plans put in place to minimise the risk of re-occurrence.

Staff had received training appropriate to their role. People were supported to access health professionals when required. They could choose what they liked to eat and drink and were supported on a regular basis to participate in meaningful activities.

People were supported in an individualised way that encouraged them to be as independent as possible. People were given information about the service in ways they wanted to and could understand.

People and their relatives were positive about the care and support they received. They told us staff were caring and kind and they felt safe living in the home. We observed staff supporting people in a caring and patient way. Staff knew people they supported well and could describe what they liked to do and how they liked to be supported.

The service was responsive to people’s needs. Care plans were person centred to guide staff to provide consistent, high quality care and support. Daily records were detailed and provided evidence of person centred care. People were supported to make decisions about end of life care which met their individual needs and preferences.

The service was well led. People, staff and relatives spoke positively about the registered manager. Quality assurance checks were in place and identified actions to improve the service. The registered manager sought feedback from people and their relatives to continually improve the service.