Old Barn Close

Updated 28 June 2019

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. This inspection was planned to check whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Act, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

Inspection team: The inspection was carried out by one social care inspector.

Service and service type: Old Barn close is a residential home for up to five people with learning disabilities. The service had a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. This means that they 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: We did not give the service notice of our visit.

What we did: Before the inspection we reviewed the information, we held about the service which included notifications they had sent us. Notifications are sent to the Care Quality Commission (CQC) to inform us of events relating to the service which they must inform us of by law. We looked at previous inspection reports and reviewed the Provider Information Return (PIR). The PIR is a form that asks the provider to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make.

During the inspection we spoke with four members of staff including the registered manager; the deputy manager and a support worker and a bank care assistant. We observed staff interacting with people and supporting them.

Some people were unable to tell us about their experiences of living at Old Barn Close because of communication difficulties. We therefore used the Short Observational Framework for Inspection (SOFI). SOFI is a way of observing care to help us understand the experience of people who could not talk with us.

We looked at records relating to the management of the service including two people’s support plans and associated records. We reviewed the medicine administration records for five people and two staff files including recruitment records. We reviewed minutes of meetings and a selection of quality assurance audits and health and safety records. Following the inspection, we spoke with one relative and one person’s friend on the telephone about the care provided at Old Barn Close.

Updated 28 June 2019

Old Barn Close is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as single package under one contractual agreement. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection. Old Barn Close accommodates and is registered for up to five people in one adapted building.

Old Barn Close was providing personal care to five adults with learning disabilities and/or associated sensory or physical disabilities at the time of the inspection. The home was situated in a residential area alongside other large domestic homes of a similar size. There were deliberately no identifying signs, intercom, cameras, 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:

The service met the requirements of good in all domains. This was because we found evidence of good safe practice and a well-managed service. Staff were responsive and caring to towards the needs of people. The care provided and the systems in place to operate the service were effective in meeting those needs.

Feedback from a person’s relative and a person’s friend indicated they felt the service was safe. This was “Because of the way the staff look after people” and “Staff are so caring…. they are very much on the ball.”

We found the service was safe because systems were in place and staff had received training in how to identify and report concerns of abuse. Employment practices meant the risk of employing inappropriate staff had been reduced.

Records demonstrated medicines were administered by trained staff, and in line with the prescribed dosage and time. The medicines were stored securely, and stocks tallied with recorded amounts. Risks related to the care being provided in the home, the environment and equipment had been assessed.

Risks were minimised where possible to ensure people, staff and visitors were kept safe. There were enough staff to keep people safe.

Staff were supported through regular contact with the registered manager, induction, training, supervision and appraisals. Training was completed in the areas deemed as mandatory by the provider, these included moving and handling, and health and safety amongst others. Staff were given opportunities to review their individual work and development needs through supervision and appraisals. Staff induction procedures ensured they were trained in the areas the provider identified as relevant to their roles.

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

The service identified people’s information and communication needs by assessing them. Staff understood the Accessible Information Standard. People’s communication needs were identified, recorded and highlighted in care plans. These needs were shared appropriately with others. We saw evidence that the identified information and communication needs were met for individuals. For example, through the use of sensory stimulation and photographic information.

Staff and people’s representatives told us the service was well managed. One relative told us “I can’t believe how lucky we are to have got [named person] into this home, it is so unique.” The registered manager and provider had systems in place to drive forward improvements.

The registered manager’s positivity about the care being provided in the home was evident throughout the inspection. They were a strong role model for staff. Staff and people’s representatives spoke positively about the registered manager and their ability to care and manage the service.

Rating at last inspection: At the last inspection the service was rated Good (Published 8 October 2016.)

Why we inspected: We inspected the service as part of our scheduled inspection plan.

Follow up: We will continue to monitor the service to ensure that people receive safe, compassionate, high quality care.

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