St Albans House

On this page

• Overview
• Learning culture
• Safe systems, pathways and transitions
• Safeguarding
• Involving people to manage risks
• Safe environments
• Safe and effective staffing
• Infection prevention and control
• Medicines optimisation

Safe – this means we looked for evidence that people were protected from abuse and avoidable harm. At our last assessment we rated this key question Inadequate. At this assessment the rating has improved to Good. This meant people were safe and protected from avoidable harm.

This service scored 75 (out of 100) for this area. Find out what we look at when we assess this area and How we calculate these scores.

People and staff told us that previously they had raised concerns about their safety and wellbeing at the home but these had not been taken seriously and acted upon. However, both staff and people were keen to tell us the current registered manager had bought about significant change in the home and that now they felt very safe living there. People and staff said they felt encouraged and supported to raise concerns. They felt confident they would be treated with compassion and understanding and not treated negatively if they did so.

Safety was a top priority that involved everyone, including staff as well as people. There was a culture of safety and learning based on openness, transparency and learning from events. A person living at St Albans House had been assigned the role of fire warden which they cherished and took very seriously. The said they felt honoured to be included.Regular team meetings took place where all aspects of the home and of working with people could be discussed openly including areas of risk.

At the previous inspection in June 2023, we found systems and processes had not been established to protect people from abuse and improper treatment which placed people at risk of harm. This was a breach of regulation 13(1) of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014.

At this inspection we found the provider had made improvements and was no longer in breach of regulation 13(1). Staff assessed and mitigated risks. Peoples’ support plans guided staff towards safe practice. The provider had enough safely recruited and trained staff to help ensure people’s safety and meet their needs. People were supported to have choice and control and were involved in planning their support.

Staff received training in safeguarding vulnerable adults and were knowledgeable about how to report safeguarding concerns. All staff we spoke with were also confident their manager would act appropriately if a safeguarding concern was raised with them.

People and their relatives told us that St Albans House was a safe place to live. A person told us, “I feel safe because I am now really happy. The staff around me help me feel that way.”

People and staff told us that previously they had raised concerns about their safety and wellbeing at the home but these had not been taken seriously and acted upon. However, both staff and people were keen to tell us the current registered manager had bought about significant change in the home and that now they felt very safe living there. People and staff said they felt encouraged and supported to raise concerns. They felt confident they would be treated with compassion and understanding and not treated negatively if they did so.

People were supported in a safe environment appropriate to meet their needs.There were effective arrangements to monitor the safety and upkeep of the premises and equipment used was suitable for the intended purpose, stored securely and used properly. Management and staff considered how the environment could impact people psychologically as well as physically harm, for example in relation to sensory needs.

The provider operated robust and safe recruitment practices to help make sure all staff were suitably experienced, competent and able to carry out their role. One newly recruited staff member told us about their recruitment process and explained how they had to wait for their references and other documentation to be in place before they could start work at the home.

There were appropriate staffing levels and skill mix to help ensure people received consistently safe, good quality care to meet their needs. Staff received training appropriate and relevant to their role and received the support they needed to deliver safe support. This included supervision, appraisal and support to develop and improve services.

People were protected as much as possible from the risk of infection because the premises was kept clean, fresh and hygienic. There were clear roles and responsibilities around cleaning and infection prevention and control.Information about the risk of infection was shared appropriately with relevant partners and people using the service and visitors.

The registered manager told us of some work undertaken when they first came to the service to help ensure people’s medicines were appropriately prescribed, supplied and administered in line with the relevant legislation, current national guidance or best available evidence, and in line with the Mental Capacity Act 2005.

Stopping over medication of people with a learning disability and autistic people (STOMP)is a national NHS England work programme to stop the inappropriate prescribing of psychotropic medications, an identified priority in the NHS Long Term Plan. At this inspection people’s behaviour was not inappropriately controlled by medicines. Two people told us of the support provided by the registered manager to help them change what one person called, “That horrid medicine” that left them feeling numb and listless with no energy or interest in life.

People were appropriately involved in decisions about their medicines and understood the level of support they needed to manage their medicines safely. This was clearly documented in their support plan. There were appropriate arrangements for the safe management, use and oversight of controlled drugs.

Staff were appropriately trained to enable them to safely administer people’s medicines in accordance with the prescriber’s instructions.