The Paddocks

Updated 7 February 2019

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 was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

This comprehensive inspection took place on 21 November 2018 and was unannounced. The inspection team consisted of one inspector. Before the inspection, we requested that the provider complete a Provider Information Return (PIR). This 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. This was received from the provider.

We also reviewed information that we held about the service. Providers are required to notify the Care Quality Commission about events and incidents that occur including unexpected deaths, injuries to people receiving care and safeguarding matters. Before the inspection we reviewed information that we held about the service such as notifications, which are events which happened in the service that the provider is required to tell us about, and information that had been sent to us by other agencies. We also contacted commissioners (who fund the care for some people) of the service and asked them for their views.

We looked at the care records of two people in detail to check they were receiving their care and support as planned. We also looked at records including staff recruitment files, training records, meeting minutes and management records.

We spoke with five people who lived at the service and also observed the family members and staff interacting with them. We spoke with the gardener, the cook as well as the providers wife and the provider. We left our contact details in order that any other staff could contact us and provide feedback and two further care staff got in touch to share their experiences.

Updated 7 February 2019

The Paddocks is a care home. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection. The Paddocks accommodates up to eight people. At the time of our inspection there were seven people living at the service. The Paddocks is a large detached two storey house in the rural village of Weybread, on the periphery of the town of Harleston in Suffolk. This unannounced comprehensive inspection took place on 21 November 2018.

At our last inspection we rated the service Good overall and in each of the five questions that we ask. At this inspection we found the evidence continued to support the overall rating of Good. There was no other evidence or information from our inspection and ongoing monitoring that demonstrated serious risks or concerns. However further improvements were needed within the key question of Effective. Staff did not all have the necessary up to date training to ensure people received effective care from staff who were suitably trained. Improvements were needed to ensure compliance with the Mental Capacity Act. For one person, continuous supervision and control, combined with lack of freedom to leave, indicated a deprivation of liberty, and the provider had not applied for this to be authorised under Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards.

At our last inspection we rated the service good. At this inspection we found the evidence continued to support the rating of good and there was no evidence or information from our inspection and ongoing monitoring that demonstrated serious risks or concerns. This inspection report is written in a shorter format because our overall rating of the service has not changed since our last inspection.

The care service had not originally been developed and designed in line with the values that underpin the Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. These values include choice, promotion of independence and inclusion. However, despite not being developed in line with these values, people’s participation within the local community was encouraged and enabled.

The Paddocks is a service owned and operated by Mr Gibbs who is the provider of the service and also the registered manager. The people using the service are either the adopted siblings of the provider or they were looked after as children and have grown up with him at the home since they were children when the service was run by their parents. The registered manager is referred to as the provider throughout our report.

Improvements were needed to the providers oversight of the service. The fire risk assessment in place was insufficient had had not identified fire safety arrangements at the service were not safe. The providers systems had also failed to identify that some staff training was out of date.

The service is a large family home and the provider and his wife also live on site in a separate flat. In addition, a small group of staff are employed by the service. People and the provider referred to one another as ‘family’ and ‘brothers and sisters’ and as is common place with some families, were very familiar with one another and openly discussed one another’s circumstances. People we spoke with told us they felt safe living at the service. Medicines procedures were in place for staff to follow and medicines were ordered, stored and administered safely.

There were sufficient staff employed to meet people's needs; keep them safe and provide them with person centred support. Appropriate recruitment procedures were in place to ensure only suitable staff were employed. Staff were aware of their roles and responsibilities and told us they were well supported.

The service had a complaints procedure. People were happy living at the service and had made no complaints.