The Orchards

The Orchards Extra Care Housing is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own houses and flats to predominantly older people.

This service provides care and support to people living in specialist 'extra care' housing. Extra care housing is purpose-built or adapted single household accommodation in a shared site or building. The accommodation is rented and is the occupant's own home. People's care and housing are provided under separate contractual agreements. CQC does not regulate premises used for extra care housing; this inspection looked at people's personal care and support service.

People at The Orchards Extra Care Housing lived in apartments or in bungalows that were situated in the grounds. People had access to a restaurant, communal areas and a garden.

Not everyone using the service receives regulated activity; CQC only inspects the service being received by people provided with 'personal care'; help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do we also take into account any wider social care provided.

A registered manager was in post. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Like registered providers, they are 'registered persons'. Registered persons have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

Some risk assessments were in place although we found when people had specific medical conditions, risks associated with these conditions had not been recorded. We have made a recommendation regarding risk assessments.

Established recruitment procedures were in place which meant staff had been recruited safely. They received a thorough induction when they joined the service and received continuous support through regular one to one supervisions and training.

Medicines had been managed and administered safely. Staff had received medicines training and had their competencies in this area assessed by management.

Staff received safeguarding training and knew how to raise concerns. They were confident the management team would deal with any concerns raised appropriately.

There were enough staff available to meet people's needs and attend planned care visits. People were

supported by a consistent team of staff who were familiar with their likes, dislikes and preferences.

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice. Consent to care and treatment was clearly recorded and staff respected people's choices. People told us they were actively involved in the development of their care and support plans.

People were supported to access health professionals when needed and to maintain a healthy balanced diet of their choice.

People we spoke with told us staff treated them with dignity and respect and respected the choices they made. Staff were knowledgeable about peoples likes, dislikes and preferences ad positive relationships had been developed.

People's independence was promoted by staff. Care plans had been developed to ensure they contained person-centred information and provided clear guidance of the level of support that people required. These had been regularly reviewed to ensure they remained up to date.

A complaints policy and procedure was in place. People told us they knew how to raise any concerns. Feedback from people had been sought on a regular basis to encourage continuous improvement. People told us they could contact the service at any time and were confident any feedback they provided would be listened to.

People, relatives and staff spoke highly of the management team. The registered manager completed checks to monitor and improve the service. When shortfalls had been found, action plans were in place to ensure improvements were made. Whilst we were told the provider completed audits on the service these were not recorded and there was no evidence to show these audits had been effective in recognising shortfalls. We have made a recommendation about effective quality assurance.

The five questions we ask about services and what we found