Bancroft House

Updated 9 December 2021

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

This inspection was carried out by one inspector.

Service and service type

Bancroft 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

Before the inspection, we reviewed information we held about the service. We considered the information which had been shared with us since the last inspection by the provider, the local authority and other agencies and health and social care professionals.

We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return. This is information providers are required to send us with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. This information helps support our inspections.

During the inspection-

We spoke with the registered manager, the team leader, one support staff and the provider’s adult social care operations manager.

We reviewed people’s care and medicine records. We spent time talking to and observing people being supported, including during lunch. We visited some people’s bedrooms.

After the inspection –

We reviewed copies of people’s care and medicine records, training records, rotas, incident reports and quality assurance records. We spoke with the registered manager and the nominated individual. The nominated individual is responsible for supervising the management of the service on behalf of the provider. We also spoke with the provider’s Positive Behaviour Support Lead, two staff working at the service and three relatives of people using the service via telephone.

Updated 9 December 2021

About the service

Bancroft House is a residential care service that is registered to provide accommodation and personal care for people with learning disabilities or autistic spectrum disorder and mental health support needs. The service was registered for the support of up to six people. At the time of the inspection six people were using the service.

The service was a large detached property in a residential street near to the centre of the town. Each person had their own bedroom and en-suite bathroom. There were shared living and eating areas.

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

People were supported to assess, monitor and manage risks related to their support needs safely. There were systems and process to help prevent abuse occurring and staff knew how they should act if there were concerns about people’s safety.

People’s needs had been assessed in ways that considered best practice evidence-based guidance and ensured they were not discriminated against. This had helped people to achieve good support outcomes, such as reducing behaviours that may challenge, going to new places and having new experiences.

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. Staff were able to access the right training to help them meet people’s individual needs.

People said staff listened to them and respected their choices. Staff supported people in a kind, compassionate and respectful way. Staff communicated with people about their support in ways that were accessible to them, including non-verbal ways such as using pictures and signs. People were involved in planning and reviewing their care to help them receive person-centred support and achieve their life goals.

The service was well-led and there was an inclusive, positive open culture in the home. Staff’s well-being and differences were supported. Staff and the registered manager worked well with relatives and other health and social care professionals to be able to provide good support to people.

Service quality and safety was regularly reviewed to identify any issues and build on good practice. The registered manager was supported by the provider to oversee and complete any improvements.

We expect health and social care providers to guarantee autistic people and people with a learning disability the choices, dignity, independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted. Right Support, right care, right culture is the statutory guidance which supports CQC to make assessments and judgements about services providing support to people with a learning disability and/or autistic people.

The service was able to demonstrate how they were meeting the underpinning principles of Right support, right care, right culture.

Right support:

• The model of care and setting maximised people’s choice, control and independence

The service was a domestic style property in a residential street. There were no signs on the outside of the service to indicate this was a care home.

The service was situated near to the town centre and staff encouraged people to become active members of the local community.

Staff did not wear name badges or uniforms when supporting people.

Right care:

• Care was person-centred and promoted people’s dignity, privacy and human rights

People were supported to make their own choices and be as independent as possible.

Staff treated people with kindness, compassion and respect.

Staff supported people in the least restrictive ways and in their best interests.

Right culture:

• Staff and management promoted ethos, values, attitudes and behaviours to ensure people using services lead confident, inclusive and empowered lives

The provider and registered manager promoted high quality individualised support and had developed a strong set of values to support staff to achieve this.

There was an open and positive culture that respected people’s differences and treated everyone equally.

People and staff were encouraged to be involved in sharing their views and ideas about how to develop the service.

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

This service was registered with us on 25/09/2020 and this is the first inspection.

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection based on the amount of time the service had been registered with CQC.

We looked at infection prevention and control measures under the Safe key question. We look at this in all care home inspections even if no concerns or risks have been identified. This is to provide assurance that the service can respond to COVID-19 and other infection outbreaks effectively.

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.