Clifton House

Clifton House is a residential care home providing personal care for up to six people. The home provides care to people with a learning disability, autism, mental health needs or sensory impairment. At the time of the inspection two people were living in the home and two people received respite care. Respite care is when people stay for short periods of time and do not live in the home.

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

The registered manager had an audit system in place however, they had not identified the concerns we found. Furthermore, the provider had no systems and processes in place to audit the home.

The provider and registered manager had not implemented a system and process to ensure all allegations of abuse had been notified to the local safeguarding teams. We were somewhat assured by the infection prevention and control measures relating to COVID-19.

We found occasions where risk assessments needed improving. This included people’s risk assessments and assessment of the environment. Improvement was needed with medicines management and recruitment.

People felt well supported and listened to. Staff treated people with kindness and compassion. Staff supported and encouraged people to be independent. Professionals who regularly visited the service fed back positively about staff practice.

People told us they were involved in reviews of their care. People’s care plans contained information about how they liked to be supported. People were supported and encouraged to socialise.

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.

We expect health and social care providers to guarantee autistic people and people with a learning disability the choices, dignity, independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted. Right Support, right care, right culture is the statutory guidance which supports CQC to make assessments and judgements about services providing support to people with a learning disability and/or autistic people.

The service was able to demonstrate how they were meeting the underpinning principles of Right support, right care, right culture. The model of care maximises people’s choice, control and independence. Care was person-centred and promotes people’s dignity. The ethos, values, attitudes and behaviours of leaders and care staff ensure people using services lead confident, inclusive and empowered lives.

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

Rating at last inspection

This service was registered with us on 26 March 2020 and this is the first inspection.

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection.

We looked at infection prevention and control measures under the Safe key question. We look at this in all care home inspections even if no concerns or risks have been identified. This is to provide assurance that the service can respond to COVID-19 and other infection outbreaks effectively.

Enforcement

We are mindful of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our regulatory function. This meant we took account of the exceptional circumstances arising as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic when considering what enforcement action was necessary and proportionate to keep people safe as a result of this inspection. We will continue to discharge our regulatory enforcement functions required to keep people safe and to hold providers to account where it is necessary for us to do so.

We have identified breaches in relation to safeguarding, safe care and treatment, a failure to notify CQC of events in line with legal requirements and governance at this inspection.

Please see the action we have told the provider to take at the end of this report.

Full information about CQC’s regulatory response to the more serious concerns found during inspections is added to reports after any representations and appeals have been concluded.

Follow up

We will request an action plan from the provider to understand what they will do to improve the standards of quality and safety. We will work alongside the provider and local authority to monitor progress. We will return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.