We carried out a review of the data available to us about Welcome House - Gillingham Homes on 6 July 2023. We have not found evidence that we need to carry out an inspection or reassess our rating at this stage.
This could change at any time if we receive new information. We will continue to monitor data about this service.
If you have concerns about Welcome House - Gillingham Homes, you can give feedback on this service.
Welcome House – Gillingham Homes is a residential care home providing personal care to up to 10 people. The service consists of three houses in a residential street. The service provides support to people living with mental health conditions, such as, obsessive compulsive disorder and schizophrenia. At the time of our inspection there were three people living at the service.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
People told us they felt safe at the service. We observed people were relaxed and spoke openly with staff and the registered manager. Staff understood their responsibilities to safeguard people from the risk of abuse and knew how to report concerns. One staff member told us, “If I needed to go outside the company I can go to social services and the police. I would make a file note and put in the care notes and raise a safeguarding.”
People were supported to live independent lives, and staff empowered people to take positive risks, such as going on holiday and to manage their own medicines. Staff were recruited safely and received relevant training to their role. Staff demonstrated skills to support people and treated them respectfully.
People's needs were assessed and frequently reviewed. Staff encouraged people to follow a healthy diet that catered to their tastes, and people were enabled to prepare their own meals. People told us they chose the menu together. The registered manager used mealtimes as an opportunity to gather people’s views and feedback in a relaxed manner as well as a social event.
People were supported by caring staff, and we saw people and staff interacting positively during the inspection. People were happy with talk to us and tell us about the service and the support they received. One person told us, “[Registered manager] is lovely, they are very helpful. All three of us are grateful to [registered manager]. We need prompting and helping. We are looked after properly.”
People were supported to be independent, and to maintain relationships with friends and family. This was achieved by going out to meet their loved ones, or contact by phone and video technology. People were enabled to go out as they wished, this included attending groups, classes and coffee mornings.
People and their relatives were encouraged to feedback on the service, staff were available to assist them as needed. One person told us, “The staff are here if we have a query or question or if I need advice. They are quite helpful.”
The service was led by a committed registered manager and team who were proud to work at the service. The registered manager told us, “I think we are a lovely service; we are good, we are proactive to service users’ needs, we interact great, we are caring and understanding.” People were actively involved in the running of the service and their voices were listened to. People were able to access healthcare when they needed it.
People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.
We expect health and social care providers to guarantee autistic people and people with a learning disability the choices, dignity, independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted. Right support, right care, right culture is the statutory guidance which supports CQC to make assessments and judgements about services providing support to people with a learning disability and/or autistic people. We considered this guidance as there were people using the service who have a learning disability and or who are autistic.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk
Rating at last inspection
The last rating for this service was good (published 29 September 2017).
Why we inspected
This inspection was prompted by a review of the information we held about the service. As a result, we undertook a comprehensive inspection to review all key questions.
We looked at infection prevention and control measures under the Safe key question. We look at this in all care home inspections even if no concerns or risks have been identified. This is to provide assurance that the service can respond to COVID-19 and other infection outbreaks effectively.
Follow up
We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.
Welcome House – Gillingham Homes is registered to provide accommodation and personal care for up to nine people with mental health needs who do not require nursing care. The people who used the service lived with mental health disorders and needed support to understand their particular conditions; identify triggers for relapse; and learn coping strategies. At the time of our inspection, four people lived in the home. They were fairly independent therefore required minimal support with their personal care needs.
This was Welcome House – Gillingham Homes first rated inspection following a change in their registration.
There was a registered manager at the service. The registered manager was also the provider. 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 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.
Staff knew what their responsibilities were in relation to keeping people safe from the risk of abuse. Staff recognised the signs of abuse and what to look out for. There were systems in place to support staff and people to stay safe.
The home had risk assessments in place. This was to identify and reduce risks that may be involved when meeting people’s needs such as inability to verbally communicate, which could lead to behaviour that challenges and details of how the risks could be reduced. This enabled the staff to take immediate action to minimise or prevent harm to people.
There were sufficient staff, with the correct skill mix, on duty to support people with their needs. Staff attended regular training courses. Staff were supported by their manager and felt able to raise any concerns they had or suggestions to improve the service to people.
Effective recruitment processes were in place and followed by the manager. Staff had the opportunity to discuss their performance during one to one meetings and annual appraisal so they were supported to carry out their roles.
Medicines were managed safely. The processes in place ensured that the administration and handling of medicines was suitable for the people who used the service. People had good access to health and social care professionals when required.
The Care Quality Commission is required by law to monitor the operation of the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS). There were procedures in place and guidance was clear in relation to Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) that included steps that staff should take to comply with legal requirements.
Staff encouraged people to undertake activities and supported them to become more independent. Staff spent time engaging people in conversations, and spoke to them politely and respectfully.
People’s care plans contained information about their personal preferences and focussed on individual needs. People and those closest to them were involved in regular reviews to ensure the support provided continued to meet their needs.
People were able to make choices about the food and drink they had, and staff gave support when required.
People were involved in assessment and care planning processes. Their support needs, likes and lifestyle preferences had been carefully considered and were reflected within the care and support plans available.
Staff meetings took place on a regular basis. Minutes were taken and any actions required were recorded and acted on. Peoples’ feedback was sought and used to improve the care.
People knew how to make a complaint and complaints were managed in accordance with the provider’s complaints policy.
The registered manager and provider regularly assessed and monitored the quality of care to ensure standards were met and maintained. The registered manager understood the requirements of their registration with the Commission.
Further information is in the detailed findings below.