Archived: Harp House

Harp House is part of a community service provided by Triangle Community Services Limited. They provide an extra care service to older people who are tenants at Harp House, which is a sheltered housing unit. The service offers individuals personal care, support and 'extra care' they require to continue to live independently. Thirty people were using the service at the time of our inspection.

The service had a registered manager in place. 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.

We found one breach of Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014. This was because staff did not receive appropriate supervision in line with the provider’s procedure. You can see what action we told the provider to take at the back of the full version of this report. We also made two good practice recommendation in the report about staffing levels and quality assurance and monitoring processes.

Risk assessments were in place which included information about how to support people in a safe manner. Safeguarding procedures were in place and safeguarding allegations had been dealt with appropriately. Robust staff recruitment procedures were in place. Medicines were managed in a safe manner.

Staff undertook an induction training programme on commencing work at the service and received on-going training after that. People were able to make choices for themselves where they had the capacity to do so and the service operated within the Mental Capacity Act 2005. Where people were supported with food preparation they were able to choose what they ate and drank. People were supported with medical appointments if required.

People told us they were treated with respect and that staff were caring. Staff had a good understanding of how to promote people’s privacy, independence and dignity.

People’s needs were assessed before they began using the service. Care plans were in place which set out how to meet people’s individual needs. The service had a complaints procedure in place and people knew how to make a complaint.

Staff told us they found the senior staff to be approachable and helpful. The service had various quality assurance and monitoring systems in place. Some of these included seeking the views of people that used the service.

' Is the service caring?

' Is the service responsive?

' Is the service safe?

' Is the service effective?

' Is the service well led?

This is a summary of what we found-

Is the service safe?

People who used the service were protected from the risk of abuse, because the provider had taken reasonable steps to identify the possibility of abuse and prevent abuse from happening. The service had a safeguarding vulnerable adult's procedure in place and staff understood their responsibility with regard to safeguarding vulnerable people. People we spoke with told us they felt safe using the service. One person told us "I feel safe living here." Risk assessments were in place which set out how to meet people's needs in a safe manner, for example in relation to moving and handling.

Is the service effective?

People told us they were happy with the care and support provided. One person told us "they know what I need help with." A relative of a person said "they are all very friendly, very caring. They have so much patience." Staff we spoke with had a good understanding of the individual needs of people and of how to meet those needs Care plans were in place which set out how to meet people's assessed and individual needs.

Is the service caring?

People told us that staff treated them with respect. For example we were told staff promoted people's privacy. A relative of a person that used the service said "they have complete privacy in their flats. Staff always knock and wait for an answer before they come in." Staff we spoke with told us they encouraged people to maintain their independence and we observed staff interacting with people in a caring and sensitive manner.

Is the service responsive?

We found that the service carried out assessments of people's needs to determine if it could meet those needs. Care plans were regularly reviewed so they were able to reflect and respond to changes in people's needs. Care plans included information about people's likes and dislikes which helped to make sure people got the care they wanted.

Is the service well-led?

The service had a registered manager in place. Staff we spoke with told us they found the manager to be approachable and helpful. The service had various quality assurance and monitoring systems in place, some of which included seeking the views of people who used the service. One person told us "the manager talks to me about the carers and if I like it here and if anything is wrong I have to tell her." Records were stored securely and were found to be accurate and up to date.

Staff received the training and support that they needed to carry out their duties and support people who used the service. A support worker told us "we are always doing training, they are good at updating us with training." People had regular contact with the manager and felt comfortable to raise any issues or concerns with them.They were confident that any concerns would be listened to and dealt with.