Three Oaks Care Home Limited

Updated 7 November 2019

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 Care Act 2014.

Inspection team

The inspection was conducted by one adult social care inspector.

Service and service type

Three Oaks Care Home Limited is a care home which provides accommodation and personal care for up to 13 adults with learning disabilities and/or autism. People in care homes receive accommodation and 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 service had a manager. They were not yet registered with the Care Quality Commission. The registered manager and the provider are legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided.

Notice of inspection

This inspection was unannounced and carried out on 14 October 2019.

What we did before the inspection

Prior to the inspection we reviewed the Provider Information Record (PIR). The PIR 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. We also reviewed the information we held about the service and notifications we had received. A notification is information about important events which the service is required to send us by law.

We spoke with two people receiving a service, two relatives and four members of staff. We also spoke with the acting manager and received feedback from local authority commissioners.

We reviewed two people’s care files, three staff files, staff training records and a selection of policies, procedures and records relating to the management of the service.

After the inspection

We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found. We received further information from the manager and provider on 15 October 2019.

Updated 7 November 2019

About the service

Three Oaks Care Home Limited is a large home, bigger than most domestic style properties. It was registered for the support of up to 13 people with learning disabilities and autism. Ten people were using the service. This is larger than current best practice guidance. However, the size of the service having a negative impact on people was mitigated by the building design fitting into the residential area and the other large domestic homes of a similar size. However, there were identifying signs like the name of the service and intercom at the gates. Staff were discouraged from wearing anything that suggested they were care staff when coming and going with people.

The service has been developed and designed in line with the principles and values that underpin Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. 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

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 living in the home had limited verbal communication skills. They answered ’yes’ or ’no’ to our questions. People’s relatives told us, their family member received care and support from staff in a safe and caring way.

Staff knew how to safeguard people from potential abuse and how to report any concerns they may have had. Risk assessments were developed and regularly reviewed to ensure people could live as independently as possible whilst risks were mitigated.

People’s care plans reflected their needs but also their likes, dislikes and preferences. Behaviour support plans were used by staff to promote people’s wellbeing by understanding their behaviours and pre-empt any incidents.

People`s dietary needs were met and if they required support from health care professionals staff involved them. People had planned annual health checks. Relatives told us they were happy and involved in people’s care. They visited the service regularly and always found staff caring and respectful towards their family members. They felt confident that if they raised any concerns the management in the home would take those seriously and resolve them.

Staff used a range of communication tools to help people express their views, likes and dislikes. Staff felt supported by the manager and the provider. They received training relevant to their roles and regular supervisions.

The manager developed good working relationships with health and social care professionals involved in people’s care. A number of methods were used to assess the quality and safety of the service people received and continuous improvements were made in response to the findings.

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 Good (report published in April 2017).

Why we inspected:

This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.

You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Three Oaks Care Home Limited on our website at www.cqc.org.uk

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.