The Care Quality Commission
  • Care Home
  • Care home

Archived: Ridgemoor

Overall: Good read more about inspection ratings

The Mallards, Bridge Street, Leominster, Herefordshire, HR6 8UN (01568) 612595

Provided and run by:
Midland Heart Limited

Important: The provider of this service changed. See new profile

All Inspections

23 October 2015

During a routine inspection

The inspection took place on 23 October 2015 and was unannounced.

Ridgemoor Road is a care home for people with learning disabilities providing accommodation and personal care for up to eight adults. Care was provided in two bungalows separated by a small parking area and connected by a path.

There was a registered manager in place at the time of the inspection. 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 in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.’

People were protected from danger, harm and abuse because staff had received training and were able to identify and report any concerns. Systems were in place for the safe administration of medication. Risks were appropriately assessed and managed. Staffing levels were based on the needs of people and were being reviewed at the time of our inspection.

People were involved in planning their own care and staff understood how to support them. Staff treated people with kindness and compassion and spoke in a way that demonstrated respect.

People were supported to make their own choices about their home, care and support. When people were assessed as not having the capacity to make certain decisions about their care staff ensured that decisions were made in their best interests to protect their human rights. People took part in hobbies and interests in and outside of the bungalows and were able to pursue individual interests. People were supported to access appropriate healthcare and were supported to eat and drink sufficient amounts to maintain wellbeing.

People and families were encouraged to give their opinions about the care that they or their relatives receive. The registered manager and staff had an open, honest and positive culture. Staff were supported by the registered manager and team leader and received regular one-to-one support. Staff had access to training and time is allocated for staff to update their skills. Systems were in place to monitor the quality of the care provided and improvements were made when necessary.

10 July 2013

During a routine inspection

When we visited Ridgemoor Road we met seven of the people who lived there. They were not able to tell us very much about the care they received due to their learning disability. We found that people's needs were being met. We saw staff engaging with people in a friendly and caring way. People had been supported to look their best and they were relaxed and comfortable. Activities were offered and those who enjoyed accessing the community had the opportunity to do this.

The majority of the staff team knew people and their preferences well. The staff were able to tell us about the support people needed with areas such as nutrition and pressure area care. People's wellbeing and any concerns were taken seriously. Information was shared effectively between staff.

Suitable staffing levels and equipment were in place to meet people's moving and handling needs safely. The team sought input from external professionals when needed. The staff were suitably trained and felt supported.

The management arrangements had recently been changed and the registered manager was spending just one day a week at the service. The provider formally monitored the quality of the service each month.

26 October 2012

During a routine inspection

When we visited Ridgemoor Road we met five of the people who lived there. They were not able to tell us about their experience at the home due to their learning disability.

We found that the staff engaged pleasantly with people and sought their co-operation and consent before care was given. The staff were able to tell us about the support people needed with areas such as nutrition, hydration and pressure area care. Equipment was in place to meet people moving and handling needs.

Suitable systems were in place to support people with their medicines.

The staffing levels were suitable when people were at home but at times access to outings was limited.

People were not able to formally complain but the staff told us that people were all able to express if they were unhappy and they would then take action.

7 March 2012

During a routine inspection

We met four of the people who lived at Ridgemoor Road and one person who was staying there for respite care. The people we met were not able to tell us about their experience at the home due to their learning disability. We spoke to the registered manager and met four care staff who worked there. We received feedback from two of the care staff after our visit.

We found that people who were living in the home were well presented and looked comfortable. One person who lived at the home said, 'yes' when we asked if they were happy living at the home and 'yes' when asked if they liked the care staff.

We saw a thank you card from the family of a person who died in 2011. The relatives had written, 'To all the staff, thank you very much for all the love and care you have shown to our relative over the last 20 years. It has been much appreciated'.

We saw that care staff communicated well with people who lived at the home. They were friendly and supported them in an unhurried way. They sought people's consent before assisting them with care tasks and offered choices in a way that people could understand in areas such as going on an outing.

The care staff had a positive attitude and their conversations showed they had a good understanding of how people communicated their feelings and wishes. People responded well to this personalised and positive attention and appeared content and relaxed. We saw that the care staff offered people regular drinks and met their physical care needs in a planned and respectful manner.

We looked in detail at the care records for two people who lived at Ridgemoor Road and at how their care needs had been met. We saw there were care plans and risk assessments in place. These were up to date and gave detailed and clear information about people's needs so that staff knew how to provide the support required.