St. Helens House

St. Helens House is a care home providing accommodation and personal care to up to four people. They also provide personal care to people in supported living and their own homes. The service provides support to people with dementia, learning disabilities, autistic spectrum disorder, mental health concerns, older people, physical disability and younger adults. At the time of our inspection there was one person at the care home and six people receiving personal care in supported living services.

Personal care services were provided to people living in three supported living homes. They all have multiple occupancy not exceeding four people per house. All properties had an office and sleep in facilities available to staff, if required.

Not everyone who used the service received personal care. CQC only inspects where people receive personal care. This is help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do, we also consider any wider social care provided.

No domiciliary care services were being provided at the time of inspection.

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

Right Support: Staff did not spend time with people to identify their interests and preferences. They did not plan, organise or support them to access a range of activities. A relative told us, “they don’t take them anywhere,” telling us staff they saw staff sitting and watching T.V. However, staff told us people would often to say “no, to choices (when offered) but will then ask us to walk around the park.” Staff supported people to play an active role in maintaining their own health and wellbeing. Staff told us they prompted people to do things for themselves where they were able to. Relatives told us “they always have clean clothes.” Staff, people and families knew how to make a complaint. Concerns were investigated and acted upon and assurance sought that people were safe.

Right Care: People could communicate with staff and understand information given to them because staff supported them consistently and understood their individual communication needs. Staff told us about individual people’s preferences and how they supported and respected their routines. Relatives told us “They know (the person), no complaints on the care.”

Relatives told us the supported living home was “nice, warm and welcoming…It is the best place they have been in. They are safe.” Staff told us they are always available and present to support people to cook their meals. People were supported to personalise their rooms and relatives told us their family member was happy and showed them around their room.

Right Culture: Staff knew and understood people well. Relatives told us the staff were polite, supportive and welcoming. They encouraged people to maintain relationships with family and friends. A relative told us “this is the first time I have had any piece of mind.” Staff were restricting some people from going out freely due to concern for their welfare. Staff told us how they accompanied people to the shops to ensure they were safe. For example, where people needed support regarding road safety. However, we found appropriate assessments and authorisations had not been conducted to support staff actions even though well intentioned. We found, some people in the supported living services did not have keys to access their properties and others were required to adhere to a curfew of 10pm or be locked out of the premises.

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

Why we inspected

This service was registered with us on 11 July 2019 and this is the first inspection.

We have found evidence that the provider needs to make improvements in four key questions; safe, effective, responsive and well led.

You can see what action we have asked the provider to take at the end of this full report.