Imola

Imola is a residential care home providing support for up to eight adults with learning disabilities, autism, and complex needs. The service has experienced recent changes in management and care staff, and while relatives generally speak warmly of the established team and the positive interactions they observe, the home has faced challenges. The provider is open to feedback and has shown commitment to improvement, but recent inspections highlighted important areas that need attention regarding oversight, staff experience, and daily practices.

When it comes to safety, the service had shortcomings in infection control during the inspection, including inadequate cleaning schedules, dusty surfaces, and instances of improper mask-wearing, though the provider acted promptly to address these after being notified. There were also concerns that high staff turnover meant newer, less experienced team members were sometimes placed on shift without adequate skills or confidence to manage complex situations safely. However, individual risk assessments were detailed and personalized, medicines were managed safely, and staff knew how to report immediate safety concerns.

The care provided is effective and centered on individuals, helping residents maintain maximum choice and control over their lives. Staff support residents in the least restrictive way possible and work well with external health professionals to ensure decisions align with people's best interests.

Families gave largely warm feedback about the home, noting that established staff who know residents well can understand their communication, moods, and preferences. Care plans promote dignity and human rights, and residents are supported to access the local community for activities like drives and grabbing a coffee.

While care plans are personalized, the home needs to ensure that all staff have the time and skills to consistently engage residents when they are spending time inside the house. Some feedback indicated that residents were not always actively engaged throughout the day, pointing to a need for more consistent activity support.

Leadership and oversight require strengthening, as internal quality checks failed to identify missed deep cleans, overdue fire drills, and failures to submit mandatory safeguarding alerts and regulatory notifications to authorities. Although the provider conducts monthly audits, these checks did not effectively prioritize urgent safety tasks or catch administrative oversights, and high staff turnover has made it challenging to establish a consistently stable culture.