Thanet House

Updated 22 April 2022

The inspection

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (the Act) as part of our regulatory functions. We checked whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Act. We looked at the overall quality of the service and provided a rating for the service under the Health and Social Care Act 2008.

As part of this inspection we looked at the infection control and prevention measures in place. This included checking the provider was meeting COVID-19 vaccination requirements. This was conducted so we can understand the preparedness of the service in preventing or managing an infection outbreak, and to identify good practice we can share with other services.

Inspection team

The inspection was carried out by one inspector.

Service and service type

Thanet House is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing and/or personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement dependent on their registration with us. Thanet House is a care home without nursing care. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

The service had a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. This means that they and the provider are legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided.

Notice of inspection

We gave the service 24 hours’ notice of the inspection. This was because the service is small and people are often out and we wanted to be sure there would be people at home to speak with us.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return (PIR). This is information providers are required to send us annually with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. We used all this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with one person and four staff members. We spoke with a visiting healthcare professional who worked with the service to gather their views. We reviewed a range of records relating to the management of the service, including one care plan, two staff recruitment files, medicines records and policies and procedures.

After the inspection

We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found. We looked at training data and policies.

Updated 22 April 2022

About the service

Thanet House is a residential care home providing accommodation and support for up to six people who need support to maintain their mental health and/ or have learning disabilities. At the time of our inspection there were five people living there, one of whom received support with personal care. The care home accommodates people across two floors in a residential house in the London borough of Streatham.

People’s experience of using this service and what we found

Records were not always easily accessible as the provider was in the process of updating their recording practices to an electronic system.

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.

The service was able to demonstrate how they were meeting the underpinning principles of right support, right care, right culture.

People’s care and support was person-centred, and the service placed a focus on ensuring people’s dignity and human rights were upheld. The values of the management team were imbedded within the staff team to ensure the service was inclusive, open and enabled people to reach their potential.

People received support from staff that had on-going safeguarding training to protect them from abuse. Identified risks were documented and staff given guidance on how to keep people safe. Sufficient numbers of staff were deployed to meet people’s needs. The provider’s pre-employment checks ensured only suitable staff were employed.

Training provided to staff ensured people received care from knowledgeable and skilled staff. Staff had one-to-one sessions with the registered manager to reflect on their working practices. Staff knew when to contact healthcare services for people to ensure their health and wellbeing was effectively managed. People were supported to access food and drink that met their preferences, faith needs and dietary requirements.

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 practice.

Staff demonstrated a clear understanding of the people they supported and pre-assessments undertaken meant people received appropriate care for their needs. Staff treated people with respect, kindness and compassion. Where safe to do so, people were encouraged to enhance their skills and independence with a view to moving to a more independent service wherever possible. People told us they could make decisions about the care they received, and their decisions were respected.

Care was personalised and tailored to people’s individual needs. People told us they had opportunities to go into the community with the support from staff if required. People were encouraged to develop their daily living skills. People said they knew how to raise a complaint and were confident this would be addressed in a timely manner.

People and staff spoke highly of the registered manager and described them as open, hard working and a team player. Audits undertaken meant issues identified were addressed quickly to minimise any negative impact on people living at Thanet House. People were supported to develop the service through sharing their views. The registered manager was aware of their responsibilities in line with the regulations. The registered manager worked in partnership with other stakeholders to drive improvements.

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 25 June 2016).

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.