Archived: Swann House

Updated 18 May 2015

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 1 April 2015 and was announced. The provider was given 24 hours’ notice because the location provides a domiciliary care service, we needed to be sure that someone would be in. The inspection was undertaken by one inspector.

We reviewed information sent to us from other stakeholders for example the local authority and members of the public.

We spoke with seven people who used the service. We also observed the interaction between people and care workers.

We looked at records in relation to five people’s care. We spoke with the registered manager, one team leader and three care workers. We looked at records relating to the management of the service, care worker recruitment and training, and systems for monitoring the quality of the service.

Updated 18 May 2015

Swann House is very sheltered accommodation providing personal care to people living in their own flats, some of these people are living with dementia. When we inspected on 1 April 2015 there were 23 people using the service. This was an announced inspection. The provider was given 24 hours’ notice because the location provides a domiciliary care service.

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.

There were systems in place which provided guidance for care workers on how to safeguard the people who used the service from the potential risk of abuse. Care workers understood the various types of abuse and knew who to report any concerns to.

There were procedures and processes in place to ensure the safety of the people who used the service. These included risk assessments which identified how the risks to people were minimised.

Where people required assistance to take their medicines there were arrangements in place to provide this support safely.

There were sufficient numbers of care workers who were trained and supported to meet the needs of the people who used the service. Care workers had good relationships with people who used the service.

Where people required assistance with their dietary needs there were systems in place to provide this support safely. People were supported to use health and social care professionals to make sure they received appropriate care and treatment.

People or their representatives, where appropriate, were involved in making decisions about their care and support. People’s care plans had been tailored to the individual and contained information about how they communicated and their ability to make their own decisions.

A complaints procedure was in place. People’s concerns and complaints were listened to, addressed in a timely manner and used to improve the service.

Care workers understood their roles and responsibilities in providing safe and good quality care to the people who used the service. The service had a quality assurance system and shortfalls were addressed. As a result the quality of the service continued to improve.