Archived: New Hope Project

New Hope Project is a residential care home providing accommodation and support to up to 13 people aged between 18 and 65 years with mental health needs. At the time of the inspection, 12 people were using the service.

The home was adapted from three neighbouring residential properties and had en-suite accommodation spread over two floors. There were communal lounge and dining areas, three kitchens, two laundry rooms and a rear garden.

People’s experience of using this service

People told us they liked living here and were being supported by staff who cared for them and promoted their independence and wellbeing. Professionals praised the home and described it as “the best”, particularly for people with complex needs who had not been successful in other services.

There was a strong, person-centred culture at the home and people spoke highly of the support they received from the staff and registered manager.

People were involved in the running of the home and felt they were being listened to.

People were supported by well-trained staff who understood their needs and preferences. People were involved in their assessments and support planning and had regular one to one time with a designated keyworker, although this was not always well-documented.

People told us they felt safe. They were protected by staff who understood their safeguarding roles and responsibilities.

People’s medicines were managed safely.

People had regular visits from doctors, nurses and other professionals or visited them in the community.

The home was clean and followed good infection control practices. The fire safety of the building was reviewed regularly and there were regular drills. Daily health and safety checks were carried out.

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

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 11 April 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.

At our previous inspection of 16 January 2015, we found the service was in breach of a regulation of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) 2010. This was in relation to the provider not meeting conditions of their registration with the Care Quality Commission. At the time of inspection, the service was providing support to 13 people when they were only allowed to support a maximum of 12 people. You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the 'all reports' link for ‘New Hope Project’ on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.

We undertook a comprehensive inspection on 8 February 2017 to follow up on the breach and to check that the service now met the legal requirements. At this inspection, we found the service had taken the appropriate action to address the breach. The service met the regulation we checked at that time.

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 support from staff trained in how to protect them from abuse. Staff knew how to recognise and report potential abuse if they had any concerns. Risks to people were assessed and centred on the needs and rights of each individual. Staff had sufficient guidance which they followed on how to manage identified risks to people.

There were enough staff deployed to support people safely and to meet their needs. The provider used robust recruitment procedures to ensure people received support from staff suitable for their roles. People were supported as appropriate to receive their medicines safely from staff assessed as competent to do so. Medicines were safely and securely stored at the service.

People were supported by staff with the knowledge and skills required to meet their needs. Staff received support and supervision to enable them to undertake their roles effectively. The provider ensured staff received training to address their knowledge and skills gaps.

Staff supported people in line with the principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005. People consented to care and treatment.

People were encouraged to maintain a healthy diet and received the support they required to develop their cooking skills. Staff made referrals to healthcare professionals when a person’s mental health showed signs of decline. People had access to services they needed to have their health and social needs met.

Staff communicated effectively with people and delivered their care in a friendly and compassionate manner. People’s care was provided in a way that promoted their dignity and privacy. People were supported to pursue their interests. Staff encouraged people to do as much as possible to help them to maintain their independence.

People received care that was responsive to their needs. People were involved in the planning of their care, support and rehabilitation. Staff assessed and reviewed people’s needs to ensure care was planned and delivered in a consistent way. Care plans were person centred and had set goals in relation to people regaining their independence.

People knew how to share their views and to make a complaint if they were not happy about the quality of care. Their feedback and concerns were considered and addressed to improve the service.

People and staff were happy about how the service was run. Staff understood their roles and responsibilities to support people towards independent living. The registered manager was approachable and open to ideas to develop the service. The service was subject to regular checks and audits and findings were used to make improvements.

We found that people experienced care and support that met their needs and protected their rights. The care records and the people we spoke with evidenced that people were well-supported, that their individual needs and choices were taken into account and that staff promoted people's health and wellbeing. The records we saw were kept securely, and were accurate and up-to-date. Staff were supported to deliver care and treatment safely and to an appropriate standard. A person we spoke with told us, 'I get 24-hour support'.

We saw evidence of the close working relationships between the service and it's commissioners and partners. Care records showed the regular communication and close joint work which took place between staff and people's mental health multidisciplinary teams and other care partners.

We also found that people were asked to provide their consent and the provider acted in accordance with their wishes. There was an effective complaints system available.

One person told us, 'I'm not unhappy with anything at New Hope'. Another said, 'I feel at home here'. People liked the privacy of their bedrooms. Staff supported people to develop improved life skills, to enable them to become more independent, and maintain and develop their relationships with family and friends outside of the project.

People felt that the staff listened to and supported them. One person told us: 'I'm getting support, I'm alright.' Another person said, 'the staff are great'I can talk to them about anything'. There was also an elected service user representative, who provided someone independent of staff for people to talk to and raise any issues with.

People using the service were given appropriate information and support regarding their care. People understood what their medications were for and why they had to take them. Two people told us that their physical health had improved since they came to live at the project.

There was no evidence that two people had documented key work sessions since July 2012. Both people would have benefited from regular focused keywork discussions to ensure that their support plans continued to be relevant, to protect them from the risk of unsafe or inappropriate care.