The Care Quality Commission
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Archived: Housing & Care 21 - Waltham House

St Johns Street, Wirksworth, Matlock, Derbyshire, DE4 4DT 0370 192 4010

Provided and run by:
Housing 21

All Inspections

22 January 2014

During a routine inspection

Our inspection was discussed and arranged two days in advance. This was to ensure we had time to speak with staff, as well as people using the service.

During our inspection we spoke with eight people using the service or their significant other, four members of staff and the manager. Personal care services were provided to people living at Waltham House and also in the community. In most instances these services were provided by different staff. We spoke with people who received both types of service and staff who worked in both provisions.

At our last inspection on 27 December 2012 we made two compliance actions regarding care and welfare, and capacity and consent. This meant the provider had to make improvements to demonstrate they were fully protecting people using their service in these areas.

We found that suitable and sufficient improvements had been made where we had identified concerns. We saw the provider had put right what was required. This meant the provider could demonstrate people received the care they needed in a way that identified appropriate involvement.

People confirmed they were happy with the care they received. One person said, 'They are very good. On the whole you can't fault them, they will have a bit of banter too, and they help you relax.'

27 December 2012

During a routine inspection

We found that people's consent was also generally sought for the care they received from Waltham House. Where someone was unable to make decisions for themselves, for example due to dementia, we found that the appropriate procedures were not always being used to obtain and record consent for people's care.

We found that staff were recruited using appropriate procedures, and that they had generally received relevant training. Staff we spoke with told us that they received support from managers in supervision and team meetings.

We saw that complaints were dealt with satisfactorily, and that appropriate records were kept at Waltham House.

Although we saw that some positive support strategies were used by staff at Waltham House, we found that care planning and risk management systems did not fully describe people's needs or personalised ways of providing support. We also found that risks that could affect people were not always assessed and managed. Because of this we found that people were not fully protected from receiving inappropriate or unsafe care.

27, 28 January 2011

During a routine inspection

All of the people we spoke to about the agency's operation and about the support they receive were very favourable and described high levels of satisfaction. This was particularly truce about the flexibility of the service and the ability to get help at times when they need it, outside the agreed 'core' times.

People gave us very positive reports about the caring qualities of the staff and told us that they appeared on time and stayed for the agreed periods, never appearing too rushed nor unwilling to carry out 'the little extras'. They told us that the people running the agency - 'in the office downstairs' - were always available to deal with any little problem and about very good communication from all concerned. People were involved in planning and changing their care, through the regular review meetings, as well as in day to day discussions, and they told us that the agency's staff are very responsive to changes that occur. They gave us examples of how staff had responded in urgent situations, which they did so calmly and professionally.

We observed that a lot of people still retained high levels of independence and some told us were about their determination to continue to do so; they were encouraged by staff to continue doing things for themselves where it was safe. They also expressed strong views about being involved in choosing to live at Waltham House; they fell that they retained the ability to speak out with the confidence they would be listened to.

People that we spoke to told us that they attended regular meetings to talk about the services provided and this included the facilities available around the building which were to a high standard. Changes in the provision by the restaurant were much appreciated and people felt that they could continue to influence this.

People supported by the agency said that they were confident that if they had any serious problems they knew who how to get something done and were confident that they would be listened to; nobody had made any formal expressions of complaint and described a very open style of operations that was there to help them as much as possible. We were told how the agency had reached out to the local community and encouraged the use of facilities at Waltham House by the general public. We also saw correspondence from people in the local community who were pleased to support its presence as an addition to local facilities and services.