Archived: Arden House

Updated 10 February 2016

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 inspection took place on 6 January 2016 and was unannounced. The inspection team consisted of one inspector.

We looked at the information we held about the service and the provider. We looked at statutory notifications that the provider had sent us. Statutory notifications are reports that the provider is required by law to send to us, to inform us about incidents that have happened at the service, such as an accident or a serious injury.

We spoke with six people who lived at the home, and three relatives. We looked at how staff supported people throughout the day.

We spoke with the registered manager, and two staff. We also spoke with a community nurse and a nurse practioner who regularly supported people living at the home. We spoke with the manager of an activity centre people that lived at the home regularly attended. We looked at four records about people’s care. We also looked at two staff files, staff rosters, complaint files, and minutes of meetings with staff. We looked at quality checks on aspects of the service which the registered manager and provider completed.

Updated 10 February 2016

Arden House provides accommodation and personal care for people with a learning disability, for eight people. On the day of our inspection there were eight people living at the home.

The inspection took place on the 6 January 2016 and was unannounced.

There was a registered manager at this home. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Registered providers and registered managers 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 and their relatives said they were happy about the care people living at the home received. They told us staff were caring and promoted people’s independence. We saw people were able to maintain important relationships with family and friends and were encouraged to develop strong links with the community. People had food and drink they enjoyed and had choices available to them, to maintain a healthy diet. Staff knew the people who lived at the home well and were able to support them to eat and drink. People were protected against the risks associated with medicines because the provider had appropriate arrangements in place to manage them. People and relatives told us they had access to health professionals as soon as they were needed.

Staff we spoke with were aware of how to recognise signs of abuse, and systems were in place to guide them in reporting these. They were knowledgeable about how to manage people’s individual risks, and were able to respond to people’s needs. Staff had up to date knowledge and training to support people. We saw staff treated people with dignity and respect whilst supporting their needs. They knew people well, and were focussed on each person as an individual.

People felt involved in decisions about their care. Where support was identified as being needed, best interest decisions were made, involving family and health care professionals. Decisions were made in a least restrictive and lawful way, with applications to the local authority made when needed.

Relatives said they felt included in planning for the care their relative received and were always kept up to date with any concerns. People living at the home saw their friends and relatives as they wanted. People and their relatives knew how to raise complaints and felt confident that they would be listened to and action taken to resolve any concerns. Staff and the registered manager knew people well and were aware if people were unhappy. The registered manager had arrangements in place to ensure people were listened to and action taken if required.

The registered manager promoted an inclusive approach to providing care for people living at the home. Staff were encouraged to be involved in regular meetings to share their views and concerns about the quality of the service. The registered manager had systems in place to monitor how the service was provided, to ensure people received quality care.