Archived: Harrington House

Updated 21 August 2019

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. This inspection was planned to check whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Act, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

Inspection team

Our inspection was completed by one inspector.

Service and service type

Harrington House is a 'care home' that provides accommodation for up to 12 people who require personal care. People in care homes receive accommodation and personal care as single package under one contractual agreement. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

The service had a manager who was 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

The inspection was unannounced.

What we did before the site visit

We reviewed the information we had received about the service since the last inspection. This included previous inspection reports and details about incidents the provider must notify us about, such as abuse, serious injuries and deaths. We used information the provider sent us in their Provider Information Return as part of our Provider Information Collection. Providers are required to send us key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. This information helps support our inspections.

During the site visit

We visited Harrington House on 09, 10 and 11 July 2019. We spoke with the registered manager, home manager, a senior carer, a maintenance worker and a care worker. We spoke with two people who used the service. We observed staff interacting with people throughout the day, including preparing and supporting people with various activities. We reviewed a range of records. This included five people's care records, three staff recruitment files and staff training and supervision records. We also reviewed records relating to the management and monitoring of the service.

Following the site visit

We sought feedback from three family members about Harrington House.

Updated 21 August 2019

About the service

Harrington House is a care home operated by Raynsford Limited. The service provides support, personal care and accommodation for up to 12 people. It provides care to adults living with a learning disability, autism and behaviours that may challenge. 12 people were living at the home at the time of our inspection.

People's experience of using this service and what we found

Since our last inspection the service had made changes to the management team at Harrington House. The managers of the service worked alongside staff to ensure that any identified issues were managed. Priorities in relation to the quality of support were identified and acted upon promptly.

Documentation relating to individual risks was inconsistent. Risk assessment documentation had started to be reviewed by the home manager and guidance for staff was being developed at the time of our inspection. We questioned staff in relation to individual risks to people and found that staff knew people well.

There were systems in place to check the quality of the service. However, these systems were not always robust. For example, where issues had been identified, these had not been prioritised into an action plan with identified timescales for completion.

People's independence was respected and promoted. The support provided to people focused on them having opportunities to personally develop and maintain relationships. People received a consistent level of care from a team of care workers. There were enough staff employed to meet people's needs.

Staff communicated with people effectively to ascertain and respect their wishes. Safe recruitment practices were followed to protect people from unsuitable staff.

People received personal care that was person-centred and individualised. People's communication needs were identified, recorded and highlighted in care plans.

People were supported to access health services when needed. People's care plans provided staff with information about people's preferences and ways in which staff could support people emotionally and effectively when attending their healthcare visits.

Staff at the home supported people with the activities they enjoyed. Staff were responsive to people and their social health needs and people were encouraged to be as independent as possible.

People were supported to take their medicines safely as prescribed.

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.

The service applied the principles and values of Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. These ensure that people who use the service can live as full a life as possible and achieve the best possible outcomes that include control, choice and independence. The outcomes for people using the service reflected the principles and values of Registering the Right Support by promoting choice and control, independence and inclusion. People's support focused on them having as many opportunities as possible for them to gain new skills and become more independent.

Rating at last inspection

The last rating for this service was Requires Improvement (published 20 July 2018).

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.

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.

For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk