The inspection took place on 6 June 2017 and was unannounced. The last comprehensive inspection took place in December 2015, when the provider was meeting the regulations.

Dene Brook is a 14 bed care home, providing support to adults with learning disabilities and who have additional support needs including mental health needs, autistic spectrum disorders and behaviour which challenges. At the time of the inspection there were 12 people living at the home.

You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the 'all reports' link for 'Dene Brook' on our website.

Dene Brook is located in Rotherham, South Yorkshire. It is in its own grounds in a quiet, residential part of the town. Accommodation is provided in discrete flats within the building, with staff based in each flat. Additionally there are central office and meeting facilities, and a craft and activity room.

At the time of our inspection there was a registered manager 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.

We spoke with staff who were knowledgeable about safeguarding people from abuse. Staff informed us that they received training in this subject and knew what to do if abuse occurred. They were confident their managers would take appropriate actions without delay.

We looked at four recruitment files and found the provider had a safe and effective system in place for employing new staff.

The provider had a safe system in place to manage medicines. People received their medicines as prescribed and medicines were stored appropriately.

We looked at care plans and found that risks associated with people’s care had been identified. Risk assessments were in place to help minimise the risk occurring.

Staff we spoke with told us they received appropriate training to carry out the roles and responsibilities of their job. Training included moving and handling, first aid, health and safety, fire prevention, safeguarding, and food hygiene.

Through our observations and from talking with staff and the registered manager we found the service to be meeting the requirements of the Mental Capacity Act 2005. Staff confirmed they had received training in this subject.

People were supported to eat and drink enough to maintain a balance diet which met their needs.

People were offered a choice of food at each meal and drinks and snacks were provided throughout the day in line with their preferences and dietary requirements.

Care plans we looked at contained referrals and other documentation which reflected that people had been supported to maintain good health.

We observed staff supporting people and found they were respectful, kind and caring. Staff were knowledgeable about people’s preferences and knew people well.

People who used the service were supported to receive personalised care which met their needs.

Staff we spoke with knew people well and could explain how they supported people. Staff worked well as a team and responded without delay in urgent situations and ensured people received the right support and were kept safe.

The provider had a complaints procedure and people told us they would talk with staff if they were worried about anything. The registered manager kept a log of concerns received and addressed them effectively.

People we spoke with indicated that they knew the registered manager and the rest of the management team well and knew them by name. Staff told us that the management team were supportive and felt they could speak with them openly and honestly.

A range of audits took place to ensure the service was meeting the required standards. Action plans were introduced to ensure issues were dealt with.

People were invol

The inspection was unannounced, and the inspection visit was carried out on 19 November 2015. The home was previously inspected in June 2014, where no breaches of legal requirements were identified.

Dene Brook is a 14 bed care home, providing care to adults with learning disabilities and who have additional support needs including mental health needs, autistic spectrum disorders and behaviour which challenges. At the time of the inspection there were ten people living at the home.

Dene Brook is located in Rotherham, South Yorkshire. It is in its own grounds in a quiet, residential part of the town. Accommodation is provided in discrete flats within the the building, with staff based in each flat. Additionally there are central office and meeting facilities, and a craft and activity room.

At the time of the inspection the service did not have a registered manager. 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 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

During the inspection people told us, or indicated, that they enjoyed the range of activities available in the home, and staff we spoke with and observed understood people’s needs and preferences well. Staff were able to describe to us how people needed to be supported to ensure they were cared for safely, and the rationale behind this.

We found that staff received a good level of training; the provider’s own records evidenced this, as did the staff we spoke with. Staff within the home, and at other homes managed by the provider, were trained to deliver training in key areas tailored to meeting people’s needs.

Throughout the inspection we saw that staff showed people using the service a high degree of respect and took steps to maintain their privacy and dignity. When we inspected the building with staff, we noted that staff routinely knocked on doors and asked permission of people living at the home in relation to the Inspector viewing their premises.

The provider had effective systems in place to ensure people’s safety. This included staff’s knowledge about safeguarding, and up to date, detailed risk assessments.

Our inspections look at our five questions; is the service caring? Is the service responsive? Is the service safe? Is the service effective? Is the service well led? This inspection took place to check that the provider had taken action in relation to one key question.

Below is a summary of what we found. The summary is based on our observations during the inspection and looking at records.

If you want to see the evidence supporting our summary please read the full report.

Is the service effective?

People’s nutritional needs were met. There was guidance in each person’s care plan regarding the food and drink they preferred and required. Notes and records indicated that staff were following this guidance.

Our inspection looked at our five questions; is the service caring? Is the service responsive? Is the service safe? Is the service effective? Is the service well led?

Below is a summary of what we found. The summary is based on our observations during the inspection, speaking with people using the service, speaking with the staff supporting them and looking at records.

If you want to see the evidence supporting our summary please read the full report.

Is the service safe?

People were treated with respect and dignity by the staff. Staff had received training in relation to safeguarding people who use the service and had followed appropriate steps to ensure people’s safety. We identified one issue where a person’s risk assessment was not being followed by staff. You can see further details about this in the full report

Systems were in place to make sure that managers and staff learn from events such as accidents and incidents, complaints, concerns, whistleblowing and investigations. This reduces the risks to people and helps the service to continually improve.

Audits took place to ensure that the service was safely run.

Is the service effective?

People’s health and care needs were thoroughly assessed, and external healthcare professionals were consulted where required. The guidance of external healthcare professionals was followed to better meet people’s needs.

Audits and reviews took place to ensure that care was delivered in a way that met people’s needs. We identified that the provider was not making certain, legally required notifications to CQC. You can see further details about this in the full report.

Is the service caring?

People’s preferences, interests and plans had been assessed. Staff had supported people to set personal goals in accordance with their aspirations. Care and support had been provided in accordance with people’s wishes. One person told us they liked “everything” about the service.

Is the service responsive?

Staff acted on people’s needs and in accordance with their wishes. Where people’s needs changed, staff ensured that their support accommodated their changing needs, and care plans were amended to reflect this.

We looked at complaints records and found that they were responded to in a timely manner.

Is the service well-led?

There was a quality assurance system in place, where external staff carried out a quality monitoring programme. This was detailed and thorough.

At the time of the inspection, the home’s registered manager had moved to another role, but the provider had failed to formally notify CQC about this.

This is a new service. Therefore there were only three people who accessed the service. We did not speak with people on this occasion as they were settling into their new environment and needed time without interruptions.

Care workers said they used appropriate methods of communication to make sure people understood before making decisions. One staff told us, “Sometimes people tell us what they think we want them to say. Therefore we give people time and avoid the same staff approaching the person when asking for consent or decisions.”

People’s needs were assessed and care was planned and delivered in line with their care plan. Before admission to the home an initial needs assessment was carried out by the manager to ensure they were able to meet individual’s needs.

People were protected from the risk of abuse because the provider had taken steps to identify the possibility of abuse and prevent abuse from happening. People had information about this in a format they preferred.

The environment was clean and fresh.

Appropriate checks were undertaken before staff were employed. The manager had procedures to follow if staff were found unfit to work in the sector.

The manager and the deputy manager said how their staff had been trained in giving support to people when they wanted to make a complaint. Information to people was in a format that was suitable.