Quarryfields

Updated 5 February 2022

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 is meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008.

As part of CQC’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic we are looking at how services manage infection control and visiting arrangements. This was a targeted inspection looking at the infection prevention and control measures the provider had in place. We also asked the provider about any staffing pressures the service was experiencing and whether this was having an impact on the service.

This inspection took place on 25 January 2022 and was announced. We gave the service 24 hours’ notice of the inspection.

Updated 5 February 2022

About the service

Quarryfields is a purpose-built home on the outskirts of Doncaster close to local facilities and transport links. It accommodates up to 25 people with a learning disability or autistic spectrum disorder, who require personal and/or nursing care. The home comprises of a four-bedroomed house, a one-bedroomed house, two eight bedded bungalows, a two-bedded flat and two-single occupancy flats.

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.

There were deliberately no identifying signs, intercom, cameras, industrial bins or anything else outside to indicate it was a care home. Staff were also discouraged from wearing anything that suggested they were care staff when coming and going with people.

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

Without exception the people and relatives we spoke with praised the home. One person told us, “This is a good place to be.” Staff understood how to keep people safe. Risks to people's health, safety and well-being were assessed and management plans were in place to ensure risks were mitigated as much as possible.

People received their medicines safely and as prescribed. There were enough numbers of care staff and nursing staff employed to ensure people's needs were met. The home was spacious and well furnished. Checks and audits were completed for such things as infection control and medicines, which helped to protect people’s well-being.

People received kind, responsive person-centred care from staff who were well trained, motivated and supported by a dedicated registered manager who led the staff team to provide the best care they could. People and their relatives were placed at the heart of the service and involved in choosing their care and support, from pre-admission to living in the home.

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.

The outcomes for people using the service reflected the principles and values of Registering the Right Support by promoting choice and control, independence and inclusion. People's support focused on them having as many opportunities as possible for them to gain new skills and become more independent. Staff had time to sit and engage people in conversation and to support people's involvement in social activities. Staff worked well together as a team. This partnership working enabled people to maintain their wellbeing.

People knew how to complain, and any complaints had been resolved to people's satisfaction. People were asked their opinions on the service by attending meetings and completing surveys, suggestions had been acted upon. There was an open and transparent culture within the service. There were effective quality assurance systems in place to assess, monitor and improve the quality and safety of the service provided.

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

Rating at last inspection and update: The last rating for this service was requires improvement (published 12 September 2018) and there were four breaches of regulation. The provider completed an action plan after the last inspection to show what they would do and by when to improve. At this inspection we found improvements had been made and the provider was no longer in breach of regulations.

Why we inspected: This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.

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.