Archived: Apple Tree House

Updated 29 January 2020

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 carried out by one inspector.

Service and service type

Apple Tree House 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 service had a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. This means that they 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.

What we did before the inspection

The provider was not asked to complete a provider information return prior to this inspection. This is information we require providers to send us to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We took this into account when we inspected the service and made the judgements in this report. We reviewed information we had received from the service such as any notifications. Notifications are information about specific events and incidents the provider is required to send us by law.

During the inspection

People weren’t able to give us verbal feedback about their care, due to their communication needs. However, we made observations of care. We spoke with three care staff and the registered manager. We reviewed three people’s care records and other documents relating to the running of the home such as audits and fire safety checks.

After the inspection

After the inspection we sought feedback from relatives of people receiving care. We received feedback from two.

Updated 29 January 2020

Apple Tree House is a care home providing accommodation and personal care to people with learning disabilities and autism. There were four people living in the home.

The home provided accommodation over two floors and had been adapted to ensure it was fully accessible.

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 received good quality of care from staff who understood their needs well and who were committed to providing good quality care. The registered manager and staff were responsible to people’s changing needs and took steps to ensure they addressed them, promptly. Staff understood people’s communication needs well and used these skills to include people in the running of the home and empower them in making decisions.

Staff were well trained and got good support in carrying out their roles. Staff received specific training around the needs of people living in the home. For example, in how to manage particular health conditions such as epilepsy. There were some staff vacancies being covered by agency staff, however the impact of this was minimised through using the same agency staff where possible. There were sufficient numbers of staff to support people to take part in regular activities and outings.

People were safe because there were risk assessments in place to guide staff in the safest ways to support them. There were arrangements in place to check the suitability of staff prior to beginning employment at the service.

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 home was well led. There was a culture of inclusiveness and empowerment and the service was person centred in nature. There were systems in place to monitor the quality and safety of the service. The registered manager had a support network within the wider organisation.

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.

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 under the current legal entity on 11 January 2019 and this was the first inspection.

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection based on the date of registration.