The Care Quality Commission
  • Services in your home
  • Homecare service

Archived: Saxon House

Overall: Requires improvement read more about inspection ratings

Kittens Lane, Loddon, Norwich, Norfolk, NR14 6JE (01508) 528971

Provided and run by:
Orbit Group Limited

All Inspections

11 June 2015

During a routine inspection

This inspection took place on 11 June 2015 and was announced.

Saxon House provides support to older people. They have their own tenancies and are provided with care in their own flats within Saxon House. As such, the safety of equipment and facilities within people’s flats is not within the remit of this inspection but is the responsibility of the landlord or tenant.

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.

At the last inspection of this service in September 2014, we found that medicines were not managed safely. At this inspection we found that improvements had been made. Medicines were stored safely. The staff team completed regular checks so that omissions, from either records or of medicines given, were identified and addressed promptly.

Staff knew the importance of recognising, responding to and reporting any indications which might indicate a person had been abused or harmed in some way. However, emerging risks had not consistently been taken into account to ensure people’s safety in the service and gaps in the process of assessing people’s needs compromised this further.

Staff were competent to meet people’s needs and had developed a good understanding of people’s preferences and wishes. They ensured they sought advice promptly on behalf of people who became unwell. Staff understood the importance of supporting people to have enough to eat and drink where this was a part of their care package or when their health changed. The provider had identified that some further training was needed. This was to ensure that staff fully understood how to support people who may find it difficult to make informed decisions about their care.

Staff supported people in a manner that ensured their privacy and dignity was respected. People were consulted about their care, with support from their family if they wanted or needed this. Staff responded with warmth and kindness to people’s requests for assistance. There was a cheerful and sociable atmosphere within the service.

People could raise complaints or concerns about the quality of care they received and have these addressed. People were also enabled to express their views about the way staff supported them and were satisfied with the care they received.

Systems for monitoring the service did not properly identify where improvements or further investigations were necessary in the interests of people’s safety and welfare. Systems also did not ensure that information about incidents was passed promptly to the Care Quality Commission when this was required.

We found two breaches of regulations. The registered persons did not ensure that systems for monitoring service quality and safety were implemented robustly. They had also failed to notify the Commission of a specific event happening within the service. You can see what action we told the provider to take at the back of the full version of the report.

25 September 2014

During an inspection in response to concerns

This inspection was carried out in response to a concern raised with us about how the service had administered one person's medicines.

One adult social care inspector carried out this inspection. The focus of the inspection was to answer two key questions: Is the service safe and is the service responsive?

During this inspection we spoke with the registered manager, the area business manager and a senior staff member. We also spoke with five people living at Saxon House. We viewed medication records in relation to five people and other records relating to the management of the service. The name of Matthew Dale appears in this report as a registered manager. However, he is no longer employed at this service. His name appears because the de-registration application process has not yet been completed

Below is a summary of what we found. The summary describes what people using the service and staff told us, what we observed and the records we looked at. If you want to see the evidence that supports our summary please read the full report.

Is the service safe?

We considered this key question in relation to how the service managed people's medicines. People told us they were satisfied with the way their medicines were managed by the service. One person told us, 'It's all arranged for me, I don't need to worry myself about any of it.' Another person told us, 'If I nip out, they always find me later to make sure I don't miss my tablet.'

However, we found that improvements needed to be made. We found that the security of the medication store cupboard wasn't sufficiently robust, particularly over the few days when significant amounts of medicines were being stored. More effective methods for monitoring and re-ordering stock were required to ensure that people had their medicines as prescribed when they needed them and that medicine stock levels could be accounted for. Some staff required up to date training. We also found there were no systems in place to routinely assess the competency of staff to administer medicines to people.

Is the service effective?

We found that the one complaint received in the last 12 months had been investigated and responded to in accordance with the provider's complaints policy. People we spoke with were complementary about the care they received and confirmed that they would speak with the manager or staff if they had any concerns.

15 August 2013

During a routine inspection

We found that there were effective processes in place at Saxon House to obtain people's consent to care and treatment. People signed a service delivery plan and service agreement setting out what care they would receive and when this would be delivered, indicating they understood this agreement and were happy with it. One tenant told us, "...They always ask me before they help me with my shower".

We found that there was sufficient information about the needs of tenants at Saxon House, so that staff could support them. There was a service delivery plan setting out what care was to be delivered and when. Each tenant also had a detailed assessment of their needs upon admission. One tenant told us, "I'm so glad I came, I wish I'd come sooner". Another tenant told us, "They really look after me. It's a home away from home".

We found that there were enough suitably skilled and experienced staff to meet the needs of tenants at Saxon House. Staff told us that the staffing level was always maintained safely, and that extra staff were available if necessary. One tenant told us, "They really help, and they're all really friendly". Another tenant told us, "Well, they're lovely", when describing the staff who assisted them.

We found that there was an adequate complaints policy and procedure in place at Saxon House, and that this was made available to tenants in a variety of ways. The service had not received any complaints in the twelve months prior to inspection.

21 September 2012

During an inspection looking at part of the service

When we visited the service in June we spoke with people about their care. People told us that the staff were good, spoke highly of the quality of care they received and said that some staff were 'diamonds'.

We did not speak with people as part of this inspection as we were checking that records had been updated, maintained and were easily located when they were needed. We found significant improvements in the way that records were organised so that information about people's care, the support they needed and risks to their welfare were clearly identifiable. This meant staff had access to information about supporting people safely and the care that had been delivered.

Shortfalls in staffing records were put right while we were on the premises.

25 June 2012

During a routine inspection

We spoke with five people using the service. They made positive comments about the way staff supported them and their attitudes. We were told that some staff were 'diamonds', 'very cooperative and caring'. One said, "I'm quite happy. I've got no complaints". Another told us, "Staff show endless patience. One or two excel but they are all very good". People told us that some staff would 'go the extra mile' to help them out when they needed it.

One person felt that the staff and manager were very receptive to any complaints or concerns and listened to people using the service.

This inspection was part of a routine, planned review. While we were present we noted some concerns about record keeping and so added this standard to those we inspected.