Thames House

Updated 17 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 undertaken by one inspector

Service and service type

Thames 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.

The service had a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. This means that they 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

This inspection was unannounced.

What we did before the inspection

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 reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We asked the local authority and Healthwatch Rochdale. Healthwatch is an independent consumer champion that gathers and represents the views of the public about health and social care services in England. Neither organisations had any concerns.

During the inspection

We spoke with three people who used the service, the registered manager, the deputy manager, a trained nurse and two care staff. We reviewed a range of records. This included three people’s care records and eight medicines records. We looked at four staff files in relation to recruitment and supervision. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including audits, policies and procedures.

After the inspection

We looked at records sent to us electronically, which included staff training and supervision information.

Updated 17 September 2019

About the service

Thames House provides accommodation and nursing care to up to 20 people with Huntington's disease, acquired brain injury and other physical disabilities on two floors. It is purpose built with 20 en-suite bedrooms.

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

Safeguarding policies, procedures and staff training helped protect people from harm. All necessary checks on staff and the environment were undertaken to keep people safe. Risk assessments helped protect the health and welfare of people who used the service.

People were supported to live healthy lives because they had access to professionals, a well-trained staff team and a choice of a nutritious diet. The service worked with other organisations to provide effective and consistent care. 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 in the service supported this practice.

People were treated as individuals which helped protect their dignity. People’s equality and diversity was respected by a caring staff team and where they wanted supported pursue their sexuality and religion

We saw that the service responded to the needs of people by providing meaningful activities, having regularly reviewed plans of care and any concerns acted upon. Staff were able to support people at the end of their lives.

The registered manager conducted audits and attended meetings to discuss best practice topics with other organisations to improve the service. A positive culture was being created which helped motivate staff.

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

Rating at last inspection.

The last rating for this service was good (published on 21 January 2017).

Why we inspected.

This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.

Follow up.

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