Agricola House is a 'care home'. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement. The Care Quality Commission (CQC) regulates both the premises and the care provided and both were looked at during this inspection. Agricola House is a detached purpose built home situated in a residential area of Tottington in Bury. It is part of the Voyage 1 Limited Group and is registered to care for up to 8 adults with an acquired brain injury. The home offers spacious accommodation, which had been adapted to support people with physical needs. The home is wheelchair accessible and ceiling tracking is available as required. Externally there is a well-maintained garden with a level access patio area as well as adequate parking for visitors. At the time of our inspection there were eight people using the service.
We last inspected the home in August 2015. At that inspection we found the service was meeting all the regulations that we reviewed and was rated ‘Good’.
At this inspection, carried out on the 24 and 25 April 2018, we found the evidence continued to support the overall rating of good. There was no evidence or information from our inspection and on-going 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. At this inspection we found the service remained Good overall.
Why the service is rated good.
People spoke positively about their experiences living at Agricola House. They told us staff were polite and friendly and respected them. People appeared to enjoy a good rapport with staff who clearly had a good understanding of their individual needs and abilities.
The home had a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) who was present on the day of the inspection. A registered manager is a person who has registered with CQC to manage the service. Like registered providers they are ‘registered persons’. Registered persons have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act and associated regulations about how the service is run.
Systems were in place to help safeguard people from abuse. The registered manager had taken appropriate action to address issues brought to her attention and had cooperated with the local authority so that matters were resolved.
People were protected against the risks associated with medicines because the provider had appropriate arrangements in place to manage medicines.
Staff members had been safely recruited. A large number of staff had been employed over the last year providing sufficient numbers of staff to meet people's needs. Staff received on-going training and support. This helped to ensure they had the knowledge and skills needed to meet the specific needs of people living at Agricola House.
The provider had effective systems in place to identify, assess and manage risks to the health, safety and welfare of people using the service and others.
People were provided with a good standard of accommodation, which was comfortable and well maintained. Suitable aids and adaptations were provided to promote people’s safety and independence. Hygiene standards were maintained throughout.
The requirements of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 were being met. People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service support this practice.
People were encouraged to follow a balanced diet and were involved in the planning, purchasing and preparation of their meals. Staff worked closely with healthcare agencies so that people received the care and treatment they needed.
People's needs were assessed, planned and delivered in line with their individual needs, wishes and preferences.
People were supported in promoting their independence and community involvement.
Records showed that people’s complaints and concerns were taken seriously and responded to. People we spoke with said they had no hesitation in speaking with staff and the registered manager if they were concerned about anything.
Systems to effectively monitor, review and improve the quality of service provided were in place to help protect people from unsafe or inappropriate care and support.
The provider had notified CQC of significant events and displayed the rating from the last report.