21 June 2019
During a routine inspection
Hart House is a residential care home providing care to people with mental health conditions. Hart House accommodates 10 people in one adapted building and at the time of inspection there were seven people living there. Two people were on holiday with their families, so on the day of our visit, five people were at the service.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
Hart House provides a safe and supported place to live for people with complex health needs. People are assisted with learning life skills through rehabilitation and promotion of independence, with the aim of moving into less supported living. One staff told us, “After long periods in hospital, people become deskilled and lack confidence. We help them through gaining their trust and then go forward once they are confident.”
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.
At the time of our visit, people using the service had full mental capacity to make choices, and we saw that people chose to go out when they wanted and attended external activities. One person told us, “When I first got here they [staff] used to help me with a lot of things, but now I do most things myself.”
The accommodation was clean and tidy with a homely feel. People had their own bedroom which they personalised to meet their preference. There was a communal lounge and dining area where people relaxed or undertook shared activities. The kitchen was clean and organised. People shopped for groceries and cooked for themselves with help from staff where needed.
People were encouraged to clean and tidy their own room and assisted staff with maintaining the cleanliness of the communal areas. One person told us, “I get up for breakfast and then clean my bedroom.” Laundry facilities were available, and people were supported by staff to wash and iron their clothes.
The registered manager said, “We are proud of our relaxed approach, and staff build up relationships with the people.” One professional told us, “I can’t speak highly enough of them [staff]. They [staff] work with the person. They [staff] do not deskill people, they help people to participate.” Another professional said, “I believe it’s an excellent service with an excellent manager.”
We have made a recommendation about end of life care arrangements and joint working with other health professionals.
Rating at last inspection: Good (report published 31 May 2017)
Why we inspected
This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk