Archived: Plasden Court

Updated 10 March 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 to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

The inspection on 10 December 2014 was unannounced. The inspection team was an inspector and an expert by experience. The expert by experience was a person who had personal experience of this type of care service.

Before the inspection, the provider completed a Provider Information Return (PIR). This 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. We examined the responses given and assessed other information we held about the service. We contacted the relevant contract officer at Manchester City Council.

On the day of the inspection we spoke with four people using the service, who were referred to as 'tenants'. We talked with three support workers, the administrator and a team leader. One of the support workers gave us a tour of the building, and we saw the vacant flat.

The manager was not present when we arrived but came in about midday. We discussed the management of the service and our findings with her.

We looked at two care files and other records and logs, including the complaints record, the untoward events log and a staff file. We requested some information be sent to us.

After the inspection we spoke with a care manager from Manchester Mental Health and Social Care Trust who monitored the mental health care provided to a number of tenants supported by Plasden Court.

Updated 10 March 2015

We inspected Plasden Court on 10 December 2014. The inspection was unannounced, which meant they did not know we were coming on this day. The previous inspection had been in October 2013. We had found no breaches of regulations on that occasion.

Plasden Court opened in November 2006 and provides accommodation, support and care for people with enduring mental health needs. The people supported by the service are called tenants. There are 15 self-contained flats on three floors. There is a communal kitchen, dining area and lounge on the first floor. There were 14 tenants when we inspected, and the vacant flat was being prepared for a new tenant. The intention is that tenants stay up to two years before moving on. Although some stay longer if for example there is not a suitable placement for them to move to.

At the date of this inspection Plasden Court had a manager who had worked there since 2010, initially as team leader and then as acting manager. She was not registered with the Care Quality Commission but was in the process of applying to be registered manager. The previous registered manager had left on 30 September 2014.

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 that the service supported people well. Tenants felt safe and were encouraged to regain their confidence and develop their independence. There were enough staff, who were well trained and were encouraged to maintain their skills. They were supported with regular supervision.

The staff and the manager were trained in the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and understood its application to this service. Staff had built up positive and supportive relationships with tenants. Care plans were personalised and were effective tools to assist and improve the delivery of care.

The aim of the service was to empower tenants to regain control of their lives. The service was quick to respond to any changes in people's mental health status. An outside professional praised the service for how it monitored people's mental health and acted appropriately.