Archived: Eleni House

Updated 7 September 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.

This unannounced inspection took place 23 July 2015 and was carried out by one inspector.

We reviewed information we had received about the service such as notifications. This is information about important events which the provider is required to send us by law. We also looked at information sent to us from other stakeholders, for example the local authority and members of the public.

People had complex needs, which meant they could not always readily tell us about their experiences and communicated with us in different ways. We observed the way people interacted with staff and how they responded to their environment and people who were supporting them. We reviewed three people’s care records and other information, for example their risk assessments and medication records, to help us assess how their care needs were being met. We spoke with five members of staff and the registered manager. We reviewed feedback from three health and social care professionals and an independent advocate who worked closely with the service.

We looked at records relating to the management of the service including records relating to the safety of equipment, staff training and systems in place for assessing and monitoring the quality of the service. We also looked at three staff recruitment files.

Updated 7 September 2015

Eleni House provides support and care for up to eight people with a learning disability who also have a range of complex needs, such as epilepsy, sensory impairment, diabetes and self-injurious behaviour. There were eight people living in the service when we inspected on 23 July 2015.

There was a registered manager in post. 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.

People received care that was tailored to meet their needs and wishes. People were safe and treated with kindness by the staff. Staff respected people’s privacy and dignity and interacted with people in a caring and compassionate manner. The atmosphere in the service was friendly and welcoming.

Robust recruitment and selection processes were in place to check that staff were suitable to work and care for people. People were supported by sufficient numbers of staff who had the knowledge and skills to meet their complex needs. Staffing levels were flexible and supported people to follow their interests, take part in social activities and regularly access the local community.

Procedures were in place which safeguarded the people who used the service from the risk of abuse. Staff knew how to recognise, respond and report abuse correctly. There were appropriate arrangements in place to ensure people’s medicines were obtained, stored and administered safely.

Effective systems were in place to ensure the safety of the people who used the service. These included checks on the environment and risk assessments which identified how the risks to people were minimised. Staff understood how to manage risks and provide people with safe care. Care and support was individual and based on the assessed needs of each person.

People were supported by the manager and staff to be independent and make decisions about how they led their lives and wanted to be supported. People were encouraged to attend appointments with other healthcare professionals to maintain their health and well-being.

Staff had developed positive relationships with people and respected their diverse needs. They were caring and respectful and knew each person’s individual care and support needs well. People’s privacy and dignity was respected and maintained and they were supported to express their views and choices by whatever means they were able to. Staff clearly understood each person’s way of communicating their needs and anxieties and responded appropriately.

Where people lacked capacity, appropriate actions had been taken to ensure decisions were made in the person’s best interests. A complaints procedure was in place. People’s concerns and complaints were listened to, addressed in a timely manner and used to improve the service.

People’s nutritional needs were being assessed and met. Where concerns were identified about a person’s food intake, or ability to swallow, appropriate referrals had been made for specialist advice and support. People were provided with a variety of meals and supported to eat and drink sufficiently. People enjoyed the food and were encouraged to be as independent as possible but where additional support was needed this was provided in a caring, respectful manner.

There was an open and transparent culture in the service. Staff were aware of the values of the service and understood their roles and responsibilities. The manager planned, assessed and monitored the quality of care consistently. Systems were in place that encouraged feedback from people who used the service, relatives, and visiting professionals and this was used to make continual improvements to the service.