Background to this inspection
Updated
17 August 2021
The inspection
We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (the Act) as part of our regulatory functions. We checked whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Act. We looked at the overall quality of the service and provided a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.
Inspection team
The inspection was carried out by two inspectors and an Expert by Experience. An Expert by Experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of care service. The Expert by Experience telephoned people who received a service from Housing 21 – Anvil Court and their relatives on 26 July 2021.
Service and service type
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.
The service had a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. This means that they and the provider are legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided.
Notice of inspection
We gave the service 24 hours’ notice of the inspection. This was because it is a small service and we needed to be sure that the provider or registered manager would be in the office to support the inspection.
Inspection activity started on 22 July 2021 and ended on 26 July 2021. We visited the office location on 22 July 2021 and made telephone calls to people and their relatives on 26 July 2021.
What we did before inspection
We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We sought feedback from the local authority and professionals who work with the service. On this occasion the provider was not asked to complete a provider information return prior to this inspection. This is information we require providers to send us to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We took this into account when we inspected the service and made the judgements in this report. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.
During the inspection
We spoke with the registered manager, assistant care managers and two care staff. We reviewed a range of records. This included four people’s care records and multiple medicines records. We looked at three staff files in relation to recruitment and staff supervision. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures were reviewed.
After the inspection
We spoke with six people who lived at the service by telephone. We also spoke with six relatives by telephone. We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found.
Updated
17 August 2021
About the service
Housing 21 – Anvil Court is an extra care housing setting where staff provide personal care and support to people living in their own flats within one large adapted building. People living here are supported with a range of needs such as dementia and Parkinson’s disease. Not everyone who used the service received personal care. CQC only inspects where people receive personal care. This is help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do, we also consider any wider social care provided. At the time of our inspection, 29 people who were using the service received a regulated activity.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
People told us they felt safe with the support they received. Relatives reflected this view and told us they felt comfortable and more relaxed knowing their family member was safe and well cared for.
There were enough staff to meet people’s needs. People received their care from staff who knew people’s health needs well and had the training they needed to provide safe care.
People’s individual health needs were fully risk assessed and there was detailed guidance in place to support staff to manage known risk. Lessons were learned from adverse events. Accident and incident records were analysed, and measures put in place to reduce the risk of a similar incident happening again.
The provider’s recruitment procedures helped ensure only suitable staff were employed. Staff understood their responsibilities in protecting people from abuse and knew how to report any concerns they had. Staff were well supported by their managers and worked well as team to meet people’s needs.
Medicines were managed safely. For example, there was detailed guidance and body maps in place to ensure people received the correct creams safely.
People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice. People received support with their meals to maintain a healthy diet.
The provider worked closely with healthcare professionals to ensure referrals were made in a timely manner. Staff followed guidance provided to them to maintain and improve people’s health.
The provider’s quality monitoring systems helped ensure people received safe care. The management team and staff communicated important information about people’s needs effectively. People’s care records were accurate and up to date.
People and their relatives told us their views about the service were listened to. Relatives were encouraged to be involved as partners in their family members’ care. People and relatives provided positive feedback about the management team.
The provider ensured relatives were kept informed about their family members’ wellbeing during the COVID-19 pandemic. The provider had also considered the effect on staff of the pandemic and put support mechanisms in place.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk.
Rating at last inspection
The last rating for this service was requires improvement (published 07 May 2020.)
Why we inspected
A decision was made for us to inspect, examine and follow up what improvements had been made since the last inspection. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we undertook a focused inspection to only review the key
questions of Safe, Effective and Well-led. Our report is only based on the findings in those areas reviewed at this inspection. The rating from the previous comprehensive inspection for the Caring and Responsive key questions were not looked at on this occasion.
Ratings from the previous comprehensive inspection for those key questions were used in calculating the overall rating at this inspection. The overall rating for the service has changed from requires improvement to good. This is based on the findings at this inspection.
Follow up
We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.