Archived: Housing 21 - Barnet

5th Floor Hyde House, The Hyde, London, NW9 6LH 0303 123 1801

Provided and run by:
Housing 21

All Inspections

5 June 2013

During a routine inspection

At our last inspection of the service in November 2012 we found that staff were not always receiving one to one supervision as frequently as specified in the provider's supervision policy. During this inspection we found that substantial improvements had been made and staff were receiving more regular supervision and a plan put in place for supervision throughout the year. Staff also received appropriate training to enable them to provide the care and support that people needed.

We spoke with people who use the service and relatives on the telephone and received feedback from others on survey forms. They told us they were satisfied with the care provided. For example, people told us the service was 'very good' and 'marvellous.' Staff were described as 'very nice people', 'always polite and friendly' and 'all of them are fantastic'. A typical comment we received from one person was 'the service has been absolutely brilliant, I couldn't fault them.'

The service checked to see that new staff were suitably qualified to provide care to people in their homes before they started work. The manager worked cooperatively with other services and health professionals to ensure that appropriate care was planned and delivered. Systems were in place to assess and monitor the quality of service that people received.

26 November 2012

During a routine inspection

We spoke with five people who use the service and five relatives. They told us they were happy with the service they received. People told us that carers respected their privacy and dignity. Carer staff were described as 'faultless', 'pleasant' and 'caring' by several people. One person told us, 'I'm very happy with the service, without it, life would not be easy. It's a great help.'

Staff had the knowledge and skills needed to protect people from abuse. The provider regularly monitored the service to make sure that risks to people were minimised and an appropriate standard of care and treatment provided.

Staff received appropriate training to enable them to deliver the care to people that they needed. However, although there was a policy in place to ensure that staff received regular individual supervision from a manager, most staff had not received the level of supervision required by the provider. There was a risk that staff were not adequately supported to deliver care to people safely.