Apple Tree House Residential Care Home Limited

The following is CQC's published account of its assessment, published 4 April 2025. References to “we” mean CQC. It describes findings at that time.

Date of inspection: 4 and 5 March 2025 Apple Tree House Residential Care Home Limited is a care home providing support to up to 12 autistic people or people with a learning disability and autistic people. There were 12 people living at the service when we inspected. This inspection was undertaken to review the breach in regulation found during the last inspection on 3 June 2024. The breach related to good governance at the service. The provider completed an action plan in response to the concerns found during that inspection. We found most of the actions outlined on the action plan had been completed. However, during this inspection we found there remained a lack of effective oversight and governance and processes had not been thoroughly embedded. We assessed the service against ‘Right support, right care, right culture’ guidance to make judgements about whether the provider guaranteed people with a learning disability and autistic people respect, equality, dignity, choices, independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted. The provider worked in line with these principles. However, we found there were sometimes not enough staff to support people to access the local community when they wished. Risks to people were assessed. However, reviews were not always undertaken following incidents. Feedback suggested there was not always enough staff to support people to access the community. Staff training was not kept up to date and the provider had limited oversight of this. However, this was being reviewed during our inspection visit. The service actively sought feedback from people and partners. However, this feedback had not been analysed or used to improve the service. People were treated with kindness and staff respected their dignity. People received care from staff who knew them well. Systems were in place to ensure people were safeguarded against abuse and the risk of abuse. Care plans were person-centred.