The Fields

Updated 4 February 2022

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.

As part of CQC’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic we are looking at how services manage infection control and visiting arrangements. This was a targeted inspection looking at the infection prevention and control measures the provider had in place. We also asked the provider about any staffing pressures the service was experiencing and whether this was having an impact on the service.

This inspection took place on 13 January 2022 and was short term announced. We gave the service 20 hours’ notice of the inspection. We spoke to six staff members including the registered manager, deputy home manager and head of housekeeping, four residents and one resident’s family member.

Updated 4 February 2022

About the service

The Fields is a care home providing personal and nursing care to people with learning disabilities aged 18 and over.

The home was a large home, bigger than most domestic style properties. It was registered for the support of up to 54 people. 53 people were using the service at the time of this inspection. This is larger than current best practice guidance. The service has not been developed and designed in line with the principles and values that underpin Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. However. the size of the service having a negative impact on people was mitigated by the home being split into seven individual units. The home is located within a residential area. 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

The exceptional leadership of the home ensured the vision and culture of the organisation was embedded within all the staff team. There was a culture of continuous improvement with a clear focus on ensuring any changes enhanced the quality of the service people received. There was an open and inclusive culture at the home, where people and staff were actively encouraged to be involved and feedback about the quality of the service.

There were systems in place to protect people from the risk of harm or abuse. Risk assessments were in place, specific to people’s individual needs. Staff were recruited safely and there were enough staff on duty to meet people’s needs. Medicines were administered by appropriately trained staff. The home was clean and free from odour.

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.

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.

People achieved good outcomes as their needs were holistically assessed and their care and support was delivered in line with current good practice. People’s care was provided by a highly knowledgeable staff team who had access to a wide variety of training and support. The service had extremely strong working relationships with health professionals which ensured people's healthcare needs were fully met.

People were supported by kind and caring staff who knew them well. People’s right to privacy was respected and staff ensured peoples dignity was maintained. Staff encouraged and enabled people to make choices about their daily care and support.

Care records provided sufficient person-centred information to enable staff to meet people’s needs. Information could be provided in formats people could understand. People were supported to develop and maintain relationships and take part in activities they enjoyed. No formal complaints had been received, however there was a process in place in the event a complaint was raised.

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

Rating at last inspection and update

The last rating for this service was outstanding (published 19 August 2017). There was also an inspection on 10 December 2018 however, the report following that inspection was withdrawn as there was an issue with some of the information that we gathered.

Why we inspected

This is a planned re-inspection because of the issue highlighted above.

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.