Eldon Housing Association Limited

Updated 5 October 2023

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.

Inspection team

This inspection was carried out by one inspector and one Expert by Experience. An Expert by Experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of care service.

Service and service type

This service provides care and support to people living in specialist ‘extra care’ housing. Extra care housing is purpose-built or adapted single household accommodation in a shared site or building. The accommodation is rented and is the occupant’s own home. People’s care and housing are provided under separate contractual agreements. CQC does not regulate premises used for extra care housing; this inspection looked at people’s personal care and support service.

Registered Manager

This provider is required to have a registered manager to oversee the delivery of regulated activities at this location. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Registered managers and providers are legally responsible for how the service is run, for the quality and safety of the care provided and compliance with regulations.

At the time of our inspection there was a registered manager in post.

Notice of inspection

The inspection was unannounced.

Inspection activity started on 10 August 2023 and ended on 25 August 2023. We visited the location's office on 10 August 2023 and 11 August 2023.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We also 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 1 person who uses the service and 4 relatives of people who use the service. We also spoke with 7 staff, including the nominated individual, two registered managers and care workers. The nominated individual is responsible for supervising the management of the service on behalf of the provider. We reviewed a range of records. This included 10 people's care records and 4 staff records. A variety of records relating to the management of the service were also reviewed.

Following our visit to the service, we reviewed more records relating to the management of the service.

Updated 5 October 2023

About the service

Eldon Housing Association Limited is an ‘extra care housing’ service. Extra care housing services provide personal care to people living in their own flats within housing schemes. Eldon Housing Association Limited provided personal care to people in two buildings in Croydon: Lindsay Court and Westdene. The service provides support to older people, some of whom are living with dementia. At the time of our inspection there were 44 people using the service.

Not everyone who used the service received personal care. CQC only inspects where people receive personal care. This is help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do, we also consider any wider social care provided.

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

Risks to people were not adequately assessed and plans to mitigate and manage risks were not sufficiently detailed, instructive and personalised. Medicines management was not always safe. This put people at risk of potential harm. However, we found no evidence anyone had been harmed and people and their relatives said they felt the service was safe. There were systems and process in place to protect people from abuse and improper treatment. There were enough staff to meet people’s needs and new staff were recruited safely. Infection prevention and control in both schemes was good. Staff learned lessons when something went wrong.

People’s needs and choices were assessed and their needs and preferences were met. However, their assessments and care plans did not contain sufficiently detailed and person-centred information. Despite this, staff knew people’s needs and preferences well and provided them with the right care and support. New staff received induction training and all staff completed regular training and were well supported to do their jobs. Staff supported people to eat and drink enough and maintain a balanced diet and worked with other agencies to provide people with consistent, effective and timely care. Staff supported people to be active and to live healthier lives and access healthcare services and support. 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.

People’s assessments and care plans did not contain sufficient information about their equality, diversity and human rights or any information about any protected characteristics they may have. However, staff knew people well and understood and respected their diversity. People were well treated, and staff were friendly, kind and caring. People and their relatives were involved in their assessments, planning their care and reviews of their care and support, and were encouraged to participate in making decisions about their care. People and their relatives felt they were always treated with respect and dignity. People were supported to be as independent as possible.

People’s care and support was not recorded and planned in a personalised way and people’s individual communication needs had not been sufficiently recorded in their assessments and care plans. However, staff communicated with people in ways they could understand because they knew people’s individual ways of communication well. People were supported to maintain relationships, follow their interests and participate in activities. There was a complaint policy and procedure in place and complaints were dealt with appropriately and to people’s satisfaction. People could be provided with end-of-life care and support if required.

The provider’s quality assurance systems and processes were not always effective. The provider’s audits had not identified the issues we found during our inspection. There was a positive culture and the care and support people received was inclusive and empowering and achieved good outcomes for them. The provider, managers and staff understood their duty to communicate openly and honestly when something went wrong. The provider engaged people, their relatives, and staff in the development of the service. There were systems and processes to support continuous learning and improving care. Staff worked well in partnership with other services, organisations and agencies to provide people’s care and support.

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 27 June 2018).

Why we inspected

This inspection was prompted by a review of the information we held about this service.

The overall rating for the service has changed from good to requires improvement based on the findings of this inspection.

Enforcement and Recommendations

We have identified breaches in relation to safe care and treatment, person-centred care and good governance at this inspection.

Please see the action we have told the provider to take at the end of this report.

Follow up

We will request an action plan from the provider to understand what they will do to improve the standards of quality and safety. We will work alongside the provider and local authority to monitor progress. We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.