Caroline House

This report provides an overview of Caroline House, a residential care home for nine individuals with diverse needs, including learning disabilities, sensory impairments, and physical disabilities. The inspection focused on assessing the quality and safety of care provided across five key areas: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive, and Well-led. The findings from the recent visit indicate significant improvements in several areas compared to the previous inspection.

Regarding safety, the home has enhanced its risk assessment procedures, ensuring that care plans are detailed and linked to individual needs, with specific attention paid to moving and handling. Emergency evacuation plans are person-centred, and contingency plans are in place. The environment is safe, with regular maintenance checks and effective fire safety management. Safeguarding policies are robust, and staff are well-trained to protect residents from abuse and discrimination. Staffing levels are sufficient, and recruitment processes ensure suitable staff are employed, with residents even involved in interviewing candidates. Medicines are administered safely, with clear protocols for "as required" medications, and staff are competent in their use. Infection control measures are effective, with staff trained and using protective equipment, and the home is kept clean and tidy. The service demonstrates a strong ability to learn from incidents and accidents, with thorough investigation and trend analysis to prevent recurrence.

In terms of how effective the care is, Caroline House now consistently demonstrates good outcomes for residents. The service is working effectively within the principles of the Mental Capacity Act, ensuring consent is properly assessed and recorded, and that decisions are made in residents' best interests, involving relatives and healthcare professionals when needed. Staff are aware of their responsibilities under the Act. Care plans are comprehensive, regularly reviewed, and consider individuals' diverse needs, including protected characteristics. Staff receive robust induction and ongoing training in essential areas like first aid and medication administration, with regular supervision and appraisals. Residents are well-supported with their nutritional needs, enjoying their meals and having their preferences catered for, with weight monitoring and referrals to healthcare professionals when necessary. The service collaborates effectively with other agencies to ensure timely and consistent healthcare, and residents are supported to maintain their health and access necessary appointments. The home's environment is adapted to meet residents' needs, with personalised bedrooms and accessible communal areas, and plans are in place for further improvements with resident involvement.

Concerning how caring the service is, residents are consistently well-treated, with interactions between staff and residents being kind, caring, positive, and warm. Staff actively support residents to maintain connections with family and friends, using preferred communication methods and demonstrating a good understanding of individual communication needs. Detailed personal histories are kept, allowing staff to build strong relationships and understand residents' likes, dislikes, and preferences. Residents are supported to express their views and are involved in decisions about their care, with feedback welcomed. Staff respect residents' privacy, dignity, and independence, listening to their choices and upholding their dignity at all times. While residents' non-verbal communication responses could be more consistently recorded, the overall approach to caring is highly commendable.

On how responsive the service is, Caroline House is committed to person-centred care, supporting residents to have maximum choice and control over their lives in the least restrictive way possible. The service actively promotes independence and inclusion, helping residents to gain new skills and achieve personal goals. Staff are unhurried and interact with residents warmly, ensuring they are supported in ways that align with their preferences. The home is clean and tidy, and staff are trained in infection control. Care plans are comprehensive and reflect residents' choices, and the service works effectively with other organisations to ensure joined-up care. Residents are happy with the food provided and have sufficient access to meals and drinks.

Finally, regarding how well-led the service is, Caroline House fosters an open-door culture with positive feedback from staff regarding the registered manager. There is a strong emphasis on learning and development, with a culture of organisational learning driving ongoing improvements. Residents and staff are actively encouraged to provide feedback and share ideas for service enhancement. The provider has demonstrated a proactive approach to addressing previous areas for improvement and has made significant progress in implementing robust systems and processes to ensure high-quality care.