28 October 2016
During a routine inspection
Elm House is registered to provide accommodation for persons who require nursing or personal care for up to 14 adults living with associated mental health problems. The home provides a step-down service from hospital for people who are ready to move on to more independent living as part of their rehabilitation program. The home is a large detached house and is situated within a residential area in Shrewsbury.
There was a registered manager in place. 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.
This service has not been previously inspected.
People told us they were safe and secure living at the home.
People were safe as staff knew how to recognise different signs of abuse and what action to take if they had any concerns.
The provider ensured staff were safe to work with people who used the service. They obtained Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks and suitable references for new staff.
The provider had suitable arrangements in place to ensure people’s medicines were managed safely.
There were systems in place to ensure that risks to people’s safety and wellbeing were identified and addressed.
The provider ensured staff had a full understanding of people’s care needs and had the skills and knowledge to meet them.
People had access to healthcare professionals to make sure they received effective treatment to meet their specific needs.
People who used the service were treated with kindness and said their privacy and dignity was always respected.
People’s care and support was planned in full consultation with them. We found people received care and support, which was personalised to their wishes and responsive to their needs. Each person had support plans in place, which provided guidance for staff about how best to meet each person’s needs.
Staff were knowledgeable about the people they supported, which enabled them to provide a personalised and responsive service.
People were enabled to carry out person centred activities at the home or in the community.
The provider had systems in place to routinely listen to people’s experiences, concerns and complaints.
There were systems in place to continually monitor the quality of the service provided.
The home worked in close partnership with other agencies to ensure people were receiving the required support.