Sheldon Ridge

Updated 15 December 2023

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 Health and Social Care Act 2008.

Inspection team

One inspector visited this service on both days of the inspection. An Expert-by-Experience made telephone calls to people’s relatives and representatives. An Expert by Experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of care service.

Service and service type

Sheldon Ridge is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing and/or personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement dependent on their registration with us. Sheldon Ridge is a care home with nursing care. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

Registered Manager

This provider is required to have a registered manager to oversee the delivery of regulated activities at this location. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Registered managers and providers are legally responsible for how the service is run, for the quality and safety of the care provided and compliance with regulations.

At the time of our inspection there was a registered manager in post.

Notice of inspection

This inspection was unannounced.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we received about the service since the last inspection. We sought feedback from the local authority and Healthwatch. Healthwatch is an independent consumer champion which gathers and represents the views of the public about health and social care services in England. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return (PIR). A PIR is information providers send us to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We used all this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

During the inspection, we spoke with the registered manager, a nurse, an office worker and 3 support workers and the cook. People who lived at the service were unable to verbally communicate with us. We used different methods to help us understand people's experiences. We spent time observing the support people received. We spoke with 6 relatives and representatives to gather their feedback about this service. We looked at multiple medication records and specific parts of 2 care plans.

Updated 15 December 2023

About the service

Sheldon Ridge provides nursing and accommodation to up to 13 people who have a learning disability and complex needs. On both days of our inspection, 11 people were living in the home. Accommodation is split into 2 ground floor units each containing single occupancy bedrooms. Each unit has its own dining and lounge area.

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

We expect health and social care providers to guarantee people with a learning disability and autistic people respect, equality, dignity, choices and independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted. ‘Right support, right care, right culture’ is the guidance CQC follows to make assessments and judgements about services supporting people with a learning disability and autistic people and providers must have regard to it.

Right Support: 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. People were empowered to make decisions they were able to. Where people were unable to verbally express their preferences, staff told us they made a decision for them based on their knowledge of the person’s likes and dislikes and observed for their reaction. Where needed, they offered alternatives to people, which we saw during this inspection.

Right Care: An experienced and knowledgeable staff team provided effective care to people. Relatives consistently provided positive feedback about the quality of care provided by the staff team. Care was person-centred and put people and their families at the centre of their care planning. Staff were attentive to people’s needs and skilled in identifying what people wanted. People’s protected rights were understood and met by the staff team who showed a strong insight into their care and support needs.

Right Culture: There was a positive culture within the service. The management team expected an open and honest working environment and looked to improve the service and learn from mistakes. Diversity and inclusion was celebrated. Relatives and staff felt engaged and listened to. Relatives told us communication from staff about their loved ones was effective. Staff worked with a range of partners in the community to provide safe spaces for people to go to.

The management team developed a stable workforce which helped make for a positive culture. Staff felt supported through a program of induction, training and regular supervision meetings. They felt able to discuss their own wellbeing as well as talking about the needs of people living in this home. Effective systems of governance meant the provider had oversight of the running of the home.

The home was found to be clean, although some communal areas looked worn. Staff were actively working with the landlord to arrange repairs. Adaptations had been to the premises to meet people’s needs. We identified PRN (as required) protocols needed strengthening, to which the management team responded by immediately beginning this work. People received their medicines as prescribed. Staff received training in medication management and were assessed as competent to administer.

There were sufficient numbers of safely recruited staff to care and support people. Risks to people had been assessed, monitored and reviewed. People were supported to maintain a healthy and balanced diet. Dietary risks were understood and people’s nutritional needs were being met. Staff knew how to recognise and respond to signs of ill health and were able to share examples with us.

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

Rating at last inspection

The last rating for this service was rated good (published 14 September 2018).

At our last inspection we recommended the registered manager review the skill mix and staff deployment to ensure people were provided with the care and support they need at all times. At this inspection we found the registered manager acted on this feedback and had made the necessary improvements.

Why we inspected

We undertook this inspection as part of a random selection of services rated Good and Outstanding.

For those key questions not inspected, we used the ratings awarded at the last inspection to calculate the overall rating.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.