Archived: Pennhaven

Pennhaven provides accommodation with personal care for up to 8 people with mental illness. The home is situated within walking distance of Exeter city centre. On the day of the inspection there were 8 people living there.

The service had a registered manager. 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 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

The home supported people recovering from mental illness. Staff worked with them to increase their confidence and independence, with a view to moving into the community where appropriate. They worked collaboratively with external health professionals to meet people’s needs.

Regular supervision and relevant training gave staff the necessary skills and knowledge. They knew people well, and had a good understanding of their needs. This meant they were able to manage risks to people, while supporting them to make choices and feel in control.

Detailed risk assessments contained clear information about how to recognise when people were at risk, and what action staff should take. Staff worked openly and honestly with people, ensuring they were fully involved in identifying and agreeing the goals in their care plans, and in agreement with any plans to keep them safe. They encouraged people to make positive, informed choices, at the same time acting to keep them safe when their behaviour put them at risk of harm. They treated people with dignity and ensured that their confidentiality was respected.

People were supported to manage their own medicines as part of their transition towards independence. Systems were in place to ensure that their medicines were managed safely.

People lived independently with support available as they needed it. They chose how and where they wanted to spend their time, and were encouraged to engage in activities which were geared towards increasing confidence and building links with the community. They were encouraged to contribute to the running of the home by participating in a cleaning rota and cooking for everyone once a fortnight. One person told us, “The best thing is the meal in the evening. It’s a proper meal every day. It makes it feel more like the real world”.

The provider and registered manager were proactive in working to improve the quality of care provided. The registered manager participated in a number of forums for exchanging information and ideas and fostering best practice. She ensured this information was shared with staff, and supported them in their professional development.

Quality monitoring systems were in place, and effective in identifying areas for improvement. People at the home and staff were encouraged to express their views, enabling the service to provide care which met their individual needs and was of a high standard.

People said they were very happy living at the home and that staff encouraged them to be independent and take responsibility when appropriate to do so. People were observed to move freely around the home and go out alone, or if needed, with staff. People were given keys to their room and the front door.

People had individualised care plans which supported them to become more independent. The care plans had been drawn up by staff and the person concerned and were reviewed at regular intervals. People told us that they were able to get involved in activities both in the home and outside which they enjoyed. These included undertaking household duties such as cooking and cleaning as well as leisure activities at local sports centres and clubs.

The provider had systems in place to ensure that people were safeguarded from abuse.

The provider operated effective systems to ensure that newly appointed staff were of good character, had skills and experience needed for their role and were fit to undertake the work. This included ensuring that checks had been carried out with the Disclosure and Barring Service.

There were systems in place to ensure the safe and secure management of records relating to the people living in the home and staff. There were systems to record and monitor incidents, accidents, complaints and safety procedures.

People told us they had been consulted and fully involved in drawing up and agreeing their support plan. They received the support they needed to help them achieve their personal goals and work towards living independently in the future. They said there was always enough staff on duty at the times they needed support, and the staff were friendly.

People were encouraged to eat a healthy and balanced diet. They were supported by staff to plan and prepare their own meals. They told us they always enjoyed the meals.

Medicines were stored and administered safely. People were confident their medicines were always administered correctly. Where possible, people were supported to administer their own medicines.

People told us the home was comfortable and well maintained. Comments included 'It's pretty good. It has become my home.' Two people showed us their bedrooms and we saw they had been able to decorate and furnish the rooms to make them feel homely.

We looked at records of comments and complaints people made and we saw they had been responded to appropriately. Three people told us they knew who to speak with if they wanted to make a complaint and they were confident any complaints or grumbles would be listened to and addressed satisfactorily.