Background to this inspection
Updated
2 February 2022
We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection was planned to check whether the provider is meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008.
As part of CQC’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic we are looking at how services manage infection control and visiting arrangements. This was a targeted inspection looking at the infection prevention and control measures the provider had in place. We also asked the provider about any staffing pressures the service was experiencing and whether this was having an impact on the service.
This inspection took place on 12 January 2022 and was announced. We gave the service 24 hours notice of the inspection.
Updated
2 February 2022
About the service
Pathways (North West) Limited - Oswald House is registered to provide accommodation, rehabilitation, care and support for up to nine women with complex mental health issues in a gender sensitive unit. The home is a large detached house located in the village of Oswaldtwistle, Accrington. At the time of the inspection, there were nine people using the service.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
People gave us consistently positive feedback about what it was like to live in the home. Comments people made included, “I love it here. It feels like a home, not a house” and “The support here is absolutely amazing.” People told us staff supported them in their recovery goals and enabled them to have a good quality of life.
Staff knew how to protect people from abuse. People told us they felt safe in the home and there were enough staff to support them. Accidents and incidents were fully investigated to see if any lessons could be learned. Staff helped people to carry out daily living tasks including cooking and cleaning when necessary.
The provider had systems to ensure staff received the training, support and supervision necessary to deliver effective care. Two people who used the service and their keyworkers had received training in dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT). Staff were able to use this therapeutic approach to reduce the risk of people self-harming or having suicidal ideas.
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 observed caring and respectful interactions between staff and people who lived in the home. People had keys to their own bedrooms and had agreed with staff under what circumstances they were able to enter without permission.
People told us that using the recovery star with staff helped them plan and achieve their rehabilitation goals. The recovery star is a nationally recognised tool to help people measure their own recovery progress with the help of staff.
People received care which was responsive to their diverse needs. Staff supported people to participate in activities relevant to their interests. The provider had systems to gather feedback from people who lived in the home. Records showed this feedback had been acted on to improve the support people received. Any complaints had been fully investigated and a response provided to the complainant.
The service was well-led. The provider and registered manager demonstrated a commitment to continuous improvement in the service. Staff told us they received excellent support from the registered manager and felt their views were always listened to. The provider had systems to ensure people who used the service were involved in deciding how it was run.
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 11 December 2016).
Why we inspected
This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.
Follow up
We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.