Archived: Octavia Housing - James Hill House

Updated 14 April 2025

This assessment was carried out between 30 April and 19 June 2025.
This was a planned assessment based on an aged rating. The previous assessment was on 19 September 2017.
James Hill House provides an Extra Care service for up to 30 older people with mental health, physical, or other disabilities. At the time of the assessment there were 28 people living there. 23 people were in receipt of personal care.

James Hill House provided a caring and respectful environment where people felt safe and valued. Staff demonstrated kindness and attentiveness, adapting communication to individual needs, which supported a calm and inclusive atmosphere.

However, we found the provider was in breach of the legal regulation relating to safe care and treatment. This was because systems for managing medicines were not robust or consistently followed, placing people at risk. Medication care plans often lacked critical information about what medicines people were taking, the level of support needed, and how staff should respond in emergencies.

Audits and incident reporting lacked detail and failed to identify ongoing risks, such as incorrect timing of medicines, missing protocols for “as required” (PRN) medications, and inadequate recording of topical and specialist-administered medicines (e.g. insulin). This meant staff did not always have the information or guidance needed to administer medicines safely.

The provider had monitoring and governance systems in place, but these were not effectively implemented or monitored, which meant lessons were not fully learned and improvements were not consistently made.

Following our inspection, the provider has taken some actions and shared their plans for further improvements. We will check this at the next inspection.

People received personalised care that supported their independence and health needs.

The premises were clean and well maintained, with staffing levels generally meeting people’s needs. Some people wanted more support to take part in activities outside the home.

Leaders were visible and approachable, promoting a positive culture.

Updated 14 April 2025

The atmosphere was consistently described as warm and welcoming, with people expressing appreciation for the care they received. A person shared, “They make me so happy here.”

People spoke positively about the kindness and attentiveness of staff, highlighting how they felt well cared for. A person told us, “They are so gentle with me,” and another said, “They always help when I ask for it.” People felt happy and valued as individuals.

Many said they felt comfortable asking for help, and that requests were met quickly. A person commented, “I know they’ll come if I press my bell.” This helped people feel safe and supported, and several shared that they felt confident knowing help was always available if needed.

People also said they felt involved in decisions and appreciated being listened to and respected. Staff were praised for acknowledging personal preferences, with notes on doors seen as helpful reminders for how individuals liked to be spoken to.

Health needs were also said to be well supported, contributing to people’s overall sense of security and well-being.

A few people did raise concerns. Some wanted more opportunities to go out but understood that staffing levels were limited. A person said, “I’d go out more if they had the time to take me.”