Archived: 83 Tennyson Road

Updated 4 February 2021

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection was planned to check whether the provider is meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008.

As part of CQC’s response to the coronavirus pandemic we are looking at the preparedness of care homes in relation to infection prevention and control. This was a targeted inspection looking at the infection control and prevention measures the provider has in place.

This inspection took place on 19 January 2021. It was announced so we could obtain some information about how the service was responding to the pandemic.

Updated 4 February 2021

This inspection took place on the 10 February 2016 and was unannounced. When we last inspected the home in May 2014 we found that the provider was meeting the legal requirements in the areas that we looked at.

83 Tennyson Road is a care home providing accommodation and personal care to up to four people with mental health needs and learning disabilities. At the time of our inspection there were four people using the service. The service is located in central Luton and shares a joint manager and staff team with another registered service on the same street.

There was a registered manager in post at the time of our inspection. 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.

People were kept safe and risk assessments were completed which identified ways in which any risk of harm could be reduced. People were encouraged to maintain and develop their independence and to engage in a range of activities. They had enough to eat and drink and maintained a healthy and balanced diet.

Care plans were detailed, person-centred and regularly reviewed with the input of people and their relatives. People’s healthcare needs were identified and they were supported to attend regular appointments with professionals where required. People were able to tell us about ways in which the service had helped to improve their mental health and supported them in the community. People’s medicines were stored and administered safely by trained and competent staff.

Staff were caring, committed and understood people’s needs well. They received a range of training which was specific and specialised to enable them to offer effective support to people. New staff were recruited safely to the service and undertook a full induction. The manager regularly supervised and undertook performance reviews with staff to support their continued development. Staff understood the principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and the associated Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards and were able to describe how these affected people using the service. People had a named key worker who met with them regularly to discuss their care. People were treated with dignity and respect.

People and staff were positive about the manager of the service and felt well supported. Regular audits were carried out by the provider to ensure that documentation was up to date and that any improvements that needed to be made were resolved promptly. Records were well maintained and subject to regular review to ensure they contained only the most up to date information. The service had a positive culture that promoted empowerment and independence and was responsive to people’s changing needs. Regular meetings were held which provided people and staff with opportunities to discuss issues relating to the service, and these meetings were used to drive continual improvement.