All inspections: Greenfield Court HNHA - Care Quality Commission

The inspection of Greenfield Court HNHA took place between 22 November and 27 November 2017. We gave notice of our site visit to the agency office on the first day of the inspection so people using the service could be asked for their consent to a home visit.

This service is a domiciliary care agency. Greenfield Court HNHA is based in Harrogate. Some people who received support live in bungalows and flats located on the site in Harrogate. Other people live out in the community in their own homes and Greenfield Court HNHA staff visit them to support with personal care.

Greenfield Court Harrogate Neighbours Association is the registered social landlord (housing association) responsible for the specialist ‘extra care’ housing at Greenfield Court. Extra care housing is purpose-built or adapted single household accommodation in a shared site or building. The accommodation is rented, and is the occupant’s own home. CQC does not regulate premises used for extra care housing; this inspection looked at people’s personal care and support service.

Not everyone using Greenfield Court HNHA receives regulated activity; CQC only inspects the service being received by people provided with ‘personal care’; help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do we also take into account any wider social care provided. At the time of this inspection, the service was providing a personal care service to 22 people at the extra care location and 50 people living in their own homes in the community.

At the last inspection, the service was rated Good. At this inspection, we found the service remained Good.

The provider was an individual (sole trader) and until recently the provider had also managed the service on a day to day basis. We have asked the provider to provide us with further information with regard to their registration status so that we can make sure we have the correct legal entity registered. We are dealing with this outside the inspection process.

There was a manager in post who had registered with CQC in October 2017. The provider and the registered manager were available and assisted throughout the inspection.

Staff had received training in safeguarding adults and the registered manager understood their responsibilities to identify and report any concerns. Safe recruitment processes were followed to ensure only suitable people were employed.

Medicines were managed safely and people received their medicines as prescribed. We have made a recommendation about the management of some medicines.

Risks to people were assessed and steps taken to reduce risks.

There had been some recent challenges posed by staffing shortages, which people referred to in their feedback to us. The registered manager described the actions in place to improve staff retention.

People received effective care from staff who had the skills and knowledge to support them. People are supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff support them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service support this practice.

People accessed health and social care professionals. People benefited from strong, caring relationships with staff who treated them with dignity and respect.

People spoke positively about the staff and the quality of care they received. They were actively involved in their care and staff supported them to maximise their independence.

People received an individualised service and staff understood and met people's care needs.

Effective management systems were in place to monitor the quality of care provided and to promote people’s safety and welfare.

Further information is in the detailed findings below.

The inspection took place on 27 August 2015 and was unannounced.

At our last inspection on 18 December 2013 the provider was meeting all the regulations that were assessed.

Greenfield Court HNHA provides care and support to older people who live within the provider's extra care housing scheme or live independently in the local community. The provider also works in the service and provides daily leadership and management support. Therefore a separate registered manager is not required. 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. A scheme manager and a catering manager provided Greenfield Court HNHA with additional management support.

People using the service and their relatives spoke positively about the standard of care that they received. Effective management systems were in place to safeguard people and promote their wellbeing. Care plans and risk assessments were reviewed and updated in a timely way, to ensure people’s needs were known and could be met.

There was a stable, consistent staff team which provided people with a reliable service. Members of staff were recruited safely and undertook a range of training to update their knowledge and skills including safeguarding awareness and medicines management.

A dedicated catering team provided people living in Greenfield Court HNHA with a lunch and tea service. People could also access café facilities during the morning and afternoon, which provided a choice about where and when they ate as well as providing people with the opportunity to socialise. People living in the community could access the community meals on wheels service which was also supplied by the in-house catering team.

The scheme manager organised activities to encourage integration, promote social contact and reduce loneliness. They also made arrangements with independent providers such as opticians and pharmacists to offer additional services such as eye tests and flu vaccines, to enhance people’s wellbeing. Health and social care professionals were contacted as needed to support people’s care needs.

Appropriate quality assurance systems were in place. Monitoring systems such as satisfaction surveys and incident and accidents reporting were analysed and used as the basis for continuous improvement.

We spoke with people and their relatives who receive support from the agency. People confirmed that they had been given an information guide and contact details for the service. They also told us that they had been involved in their assessment and in making decisions about their care.

People expressed a high level of satisfaction with the care provided. We were told that staff were professional, punctual and supported them well. They made the following comments 'Wonderful staff, very caring.' And 'I am very satisfied the staff are very accommodating and flexible with the help they give me.'

We spoke with six staff who confirmed they felt well supported by the service and had been given the right training to support people safely. They told us 'We are well trained and supported.' And 'The manager is extremely approachable and understanding.'

We confirmed that the service had a safeguarding policy in place and the staff were trained and understood their role in the protection of vulnerable adults. This meant people were protected from the risks of abuse.

We spoke with two people who lived in the extra care housing scheme who received personal care and spoke to two people by telephone who live in the community and received personal care from the agency. We also spoke with three members of staff in respect of their job roles and the support they offered to people using the service.

Everyone who used the service said staff from the agency had visited them prior to arranging the care package. They also said they had received all the information they needed about the organisation before they made a decision to use them.

Two people using the service said they could express their views and were involved in making decisions about their care. They also said there was enough information available for staff to support them in a way they preferred. One person said, "My needs are absolutely met, the care is very good." Another person said, "Staff provide exactly what I need and any new staff are introduced to me before they provide my care."

One person using the service said, "I can not fault them, if I did have any concerns I could approach the manager and she would listen." Another person said, "staff always have enough time to spend with me, they never have to rush.'

Another person said 'the staff are pleasant, nice; they have a bit of a laugh with you and make you feel that they care'

Archived: Greenfield Court HNHA

All Inspections

22 November 2017

During a routine inspection

27 August 2015

During a routine inspection

18 December 2013

During a routine inspection

14 September 2012

During a routine inspection