Ridgewell House

This summary provides an overview of the recent Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspection findings for Ridgewell House. The report focuses on the safety and leadership aspects of the care provided. While the service has a new, committed manager working to address identified issues, the inspection revealed areas where improvements are needed to ensure consistent quality and safety for residents. This summary aims to give families a clear understanding of the inspection's key outcomes.

On safety, while residents were protected from abuse and staff understood safeguarding procedures, improvements are needed in medication management, including ensuring up-to-date records and appropriate use of "as required" medicines. Staff recruitment files also require minor updates to meet regulations. Some care plans and risk assessments needed more regular review to fully reflect current needs, although staff generally knew residents well, mitigating immediate risk. Maintenance in some areas of the property also needed attention, though action plans are in place. During the inspection, some staff were observed wearing personal protective equipment incorrectly, and the infection control policy needed updating.

In terms of how effective the care is, the report doesn't explicitly detail findings in this category as it was not the focus of this inspection, but it is implied that the effectiveness is linked to the safety and leadership aspects reviewed.

Regarding caring practices, residents were supported to have maximum choice and control over their lives, with staff acting in their best interests and supporting them in the least restrictive way possible. Feedback from relatives indicated good communication and a welcoming atmosphere for visitors.

On responsiveness, the service aims to support residents' needs, and the new manager is committed to developing staff roles, such as implementing key worker systems, dependent on increasing permanent staff numbers.

In the area of leadership, the service management and leadership were found to be inconsistent. While audits were in place, they did not always identify issues found during the inspection. The service improvement plan contained some outdated entries, though the new manager is actively working to resolve these long-standing issues. The provider understood their duty of candour and submitted necessary notifications to the CQC. The culture of the service promoted individuality and allowed staff more time to socialise with residents, and feedback from relatives about communication was positive. The manager is promptly responding to concerns and developing improvement plans.