Archived: Harrow Council - 7 Kenton Road

Updated 21 August 2015

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, to look at the overall quality of the service and provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

This inspection was carried out by one inspector. Before we visited the home we checked the information we held about the service and the service provider including notifications and incidents affecting the safety and well-being of people. No concerns had been raised.

The provider also completed a Provider Information Return (PIR). The PIR is a form that asks the provider to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. The PIR also provides data about the organisation and service.

There were six people using the service who had mental health needs. People using the service were able to communicate with us. We spoke to three people using the service and spent time at the home observing the experience of the people and their care, how the staff interacted with people and how they supported people during the day and meal times.

We spoke with two healthcare professionals. We also spoke with the registered manager and two support workers. We reviewed three people’s care plans, two staff files, training records and records relating to the management of the service such as audits, policies and procedures.

Updated 21 August 2015

We undertook an unannounced inspection of Harrow Council – 7 Kenton Road on 16 July 2015.

This service is registered to provide accommodation and personal care for up to six people with mental health needs. At the time of the inspection, six people were using the service and were able to communicate with us.

At our last inspection on 13 December 2014 the service met the regulations inspected.

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.

Harrow Council -7 Kenton Road is a rehabilitation service which provides support for people to recover from their mental health problems and to regain the skills and confidence to live in the community. People using the service were supported and encouraged to study computer skills, seek employment and move onto live independently in the community.

Safeguarding and whistleblowing policies and procedures were in place and staff had undertaken training in how to safeguard adults. Support workers were able to identify different types of abuse and were aware of what action to take if they suspected abuse.

Support workers had worked at the home for a number of years which ensured a good level of consistency in the care being provided and familiarity to people using the service. There were effective recruitment and selection procedures in place to ensure people were safe and not at risk of being supported by people who were unsuitable.

People were cared for by staff that were supported to have the necessary knowledge and skills they needed to carry out their roles and responsibilities. Support workers spoke positively about their experiences working at the home. They told us “I enjoy it here, I like the team”, “I like it here, I enjoy working here. This feels like it is a home rather than a care home.”

People using the service spoke very positively about the home and staff members. People told us “Staff here are approachable and give you the time of day. They listen to you”, “They are nice people, they have got your best interests at heart” and “They have a gentle approach, they are pretty good.”

Positive caring relationships had developed between people who used the service and staff. People were treated with kindness and compassion. People were relaxed and at ease and were treated and spoken to with respect and dignity.

People were supported to be independent and develop daily living skills such as cooking, cleaning, doing their own laundry and shopping. People were supported to follow their interests, take part in them and maintain links with the wider community.

There were arrangements in place for people’s needs to be regularly assessed, reviewed and monitored. Records showed the registered manager conducted monthly, six monthly and yearly reviews.

During this inspection, the management structure in place was a team of support workers, team leader and registered manager. Systems were in place to monitor and improve the quality of the service. Checks were being carried out by the registered manager and any further action that needed to be taken to make improvements to the service were noted and actioned. There was an effective system in place to identify, assess and manage risks to the health, safety and welfare of people using the service.