Archived: Moira House

Updated 18 September 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. We checked whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Act. We looked at the overall quality of the service and provided a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

Inspection team

This inspection was carried out by one inspector and an Expert by Experience. An Expert by Experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of care service.

Service and service type

Moira House is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or 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.

At the time of this inspection the service did not have a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. However, the manager had applied for registration and this was approved following the inspection. A registered manager 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

We gave a short period notice of the inspection because the service had a ‘call ahead policy’ to prepare people for any visitors. Also, people were often out, and we wanted to be sure there would be someone at home to speak with us.

What we did before inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We sought feedback from the local authority and professionals who work with the service. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return. This is information providers are required to send us with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. This information helps support our inspections. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with three people who used the service and one relative about their experience of the care, treatment and support provided. We spoke with six members of staff including the manager, clinical psychologist, nurses, care workers, business development officer and the nominated individual. The nominated individual is responsible for supervising the management of the service on behalf of the provider.

We reviewed a range of records. This included two people’s care records and medication records. We looked at two staff files in relation to recruitment, training and staff supervision. A variety of records relating to the management of the service including, audits, meetings and maintenance were reviewed. Several policies and procedures were reviewed. We looked around the premises and outside areas.

Updated 18 September 2019

About the service

Moira House is a purpose-built care home, providing a programme of therapeutic rehabilitation and support for up to 10 people with mental health and emotional needs. At the time of the inspection three people were using the service.

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

People told us they felt safe at the service. They had individualised plans specifically to support their emotional and psychological, well-being and safety. We observed people were relaxed and content in the company of staff and managers. Staff were aware of the signs and indicators of abuse and they knew what to do if they had any concerns. Recruitment practices made sure appropriate checks were carried out before staff started working at the service. There were enough qualified staff available to provide safe care and support; staffing arrangements were kept under review.

Health and safety was promoted, this included maintenance of the premises, servicing and checking systems. Risks to people's individual well-being were assessed and managed. Staff followed processes to support people with the safe management of their medicines.

Arrangements were in place to involve people in evaluating their needs and their suitability for therapy, before they used the service. 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 at the service supported this practice.

People were encouraged to lead healthy lifestyles. They were supported with their healthcare needs, physical exercise, medical appointments and planning their recovery. People were supported to maintain a balanced diet, they shared responsibility with meal planning and cooking; healthy eating was promoted. There was a good standard of décor and furnishings to provide for people's individual needs, comfort and wellbeing. Adaptations had been made to meet people’s needs. The provider offered staff a programme of training, development and supervision.

People made positive comments about the staff and managers. We observed staff interacting sensitively with people in a kind, pleasant and friendly manner. Staff knew people well and were respectful of their lifestyle choices and preferred routines. People's privacy and dignity was respected.

People received personalised therapy, care and support in response to their individual needs. There was a focus on confidence building and developing coping skills. People had access to a range of chosen community based and in-house activities, to promote their emotional well-being and progress. People were supported to have contact with families and friends. IT was used to plan, deliver, monitor and review people’s care and progress. Processes were in place to support people with making complaints.

Management and leadership arrangements supported the effective day to day running of the service. Moira House had a welcoming and inclusive atmosphere. People were treated as partners in managing their individual support. The provider used a range of systems to regularly monitor and improve the service. There were processes to consult with people who used the service and others, to assess and monitor the quality of their experiences and make improvements.

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

Rating at last inspection

This service was registered with us on 5 October 2018 and this is the first inspection.

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection in response to the date of registration.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.