Jerome House

Updated 22 September 2018

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 was a comprehensive inspection: It took place on 7 June 2018 and was unannounced.

The inspection was carried out by one inspector.

Before the inspection we looked at information we held about the service. This information included the Provider Information Return [PIR] which the provider had completed before the inspection. The PIR 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 discussed the PIR with the registered manager and other management staff during the inspection.

During the inspection we observed engagement between staff and people who used the service. We spoke with all the people using the service, the registered manager, three other management staff and three care workers. Following the inspection, we spoke with one local authority care coordinator. We also contacted two other care coordinators but had not received feedback from them at the time of the completion of this report.

We also reviewed a variety of records which related to people's individual care and the running of the service. These records included care files of three people using the service, four staff records, audits and policies and procedures that related to the management of the service.

Updated 22 September 2018

We carried out an unannounced inspection of Jerome House on 7 June 2018. At our previous inspection on the 27 April 2017 we rated the service 'requires improvement' and identified two breaches of legal requirements relating to the premises and equipment, and governance. At this inspection we found the provider had taken sufficient action to address the breaches of regulation identified at our previous inspection and to be rated good overall and for the key questions safe, effective caring, responsive and well-led.

Jerome House is a care home. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as single package under one contractual agreement. The Care Quality Commission (CQC) regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection. Jerome House provides care and support for up to four people who live with mental health conditions. At the time of our inspection three people were using the service. Public transport and a range of shops are located close to the home.

The service has a registered manager. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the CQC 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.

All the people using the service told us that they were satisfied with living in the home and with the care and support that they received from staff.

People told us that they felt safe at the service. Risk assessment and management processes were in place. Staff knew about the risks to people’s safety and how these were managed by the service.

Staff received relevant training and the supervision and support that they needed to undertake their roles. Some staff were due refresher training in some areas. Management had taken steps to address this issue.

The provider had improved the arrangements to regularly monitor health and safety and the quality of the care and support provided for people who 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; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice. Staff asked people for their agreement before providing them with assistance.

People's care plans included details about each person’s personal needs, and the information staff needed to ensure people were provided with the care and support they needed in the way that they wanted. Care plans were reviewed regularly with people using the service and were updated when people's needs changed.

People told us that staff were courteous and respected their privacy. Staff knew people well and had a caring approach to their work and understood the importance of treating people with dignity and respecting their differences.

People chose what they wanted to do and their independence was supported by the service.

Appropriate recruitment procedures were in place so that only suitable staff were employed to provide people with the care and support that they needed. Staffing levels and skill mix provided people with the assistance and care that they needed.

People told us that they felt listened to and they knew how to raise a concern about the service. They were confident that complaints would be addressed appropriately by management.

People’s healthcare needs were assessed and met by the service. Management liaised with healthcare and social care agencies to ensure people’s needs and preferences were met. People’s dietary needs were met by the service.

There were systems in place to monitor the quality of the service and to make improvements when needed. Review and development of the quality monitoring arrangements was being carried out by management.