Please wait

Inspection on 14/10/09 for Harper House

Also see our care home review for Harper House for more information

This is the latest available inspection report for this service, carried out on 14th October 2009.

it is an annual review prepared by CQC after examining previous reports and information from the provider. At the time of this report, CQC judged the service to be Excellent.

The inspector made no statutory requirements on the home as a result of this inspection and there were no outstanding actions from the previous inspection report.

What follows are excerpts from this inspection report. For more information read the full report on the next tab.

Annual service review Name of Service: Harper House The quality rating for this care home is: The rating was made on: three star excellent service A quality rating is our assessment of how well a care home, agency or scheme is meeting the needs of the people who use it. We give a quality rating following a full review of the service. We call this review a ‘key’ inspection We do an annual service review when there has been no key inspection of the service in the last 12 months. It does not involve a visit to the service but is a summary of new information given to us, or collected by us, since the last key inspection or annual service review.   Has this annual service review changed our opinion of the service?   No You should read the last key inspection report for this service to get a full picture of how well outcomes for the people using the service are being met. The date by which we will do a key inspection: Name of inspector: Deborah Sharman Date of this annual service review: 1 4 1 0 2 0 0 9 Annual Service Review Page 1 of 7 Information about the service Address of service: 1 Moathouse Lane West Wednesfield Wolverhampton West Midlands WV11 3HB 01902-731732 01902731732 Telephone number: Fax number: Email address: Provider web address:   Name of registered provider(s): Conditions of registration: Category(ies) : mental disorder, excluding learning disability or dementia Conditions of registration: Miss Gail Louise Harper Number of places (if applicable): Under 65 Over 65 13 0 The maximum number of service users who can be accommodated is: 13 The registered person may provide the following category of service only: Care Home Only (Code PC); To service users of the following gender: Either; Whose primary care needs on admission to the home are within the following categories: Mental disorder, excluding learning disability or dementia (MD) 13 Have there been any changes in the ownership, management or the No service’s registration details in the last 12 months? If yes, what have they been: Date of last key inspection: Date of last annual service review (if applicable): Brief description of the service Harper House, formerly known as Margaret House, was first registered as a care home in 1986. It provides care for thirteen people who have a mental disorder with the majority of the service users being over the age of 65. The home is a detached building which was adapted from terraced houses. It is situated one mile from the centre of Wednesfield and three miles from the centre of Wolverhampton. There are good public transport links. There are a number of local shops and public houses Annual Service Review Page 2 of 7 nearby. There is a small courtyard to the rear of the property. Further information is available in the homes service user guide. We are not aware of current weekly fees and these should be sought directly from Harper House. Annual Service Review Page 3 of 7 Service update since the last key inspection or annual service review: What did we do for this annual service review? We carried out this annual service review on 14 October 2009. We looked at all the information that we have received, or asked for, since the last annual service review in October 2008. This included: The annual quality assurance assessment or AQAA, that was sent to us by the service. The AQAA is a self assessment that focuses on how well outcomes are being met for people using the service. It also gave us some numerical information about the service. We telephoned the service to clarify some information received in the AQAA. Surveys returned to us by 11 people using the service and from other people with an interest in the service. We also received for example completed surveys from 4 staff who work there and 3 relatives who visit. We sent surveys to health professionals who have contact with the service but did not receive any replies. Information we have about how the service has managed any complaints. What the service has told us about things that have happened in the service, these are called notifications and are a legal requirement. The previous key inspection and the results of any other visits that we have made to the service in the last 12 months. What has this told us about the service? The home sent us their annual quality assurance assessment or AQAA, when we asked for it. It was clear and gave us all the information we asked for. We looked at the information in the AQAA, and our judgement is that the home is still providing an excellent service and that they know what further improvements they need to make. They told us that they have introduced more activity choices and have bought a new mini bus. They told us that they now have more staff qualified to a nationally recognised standard. They said that they are a friendly home and that visitors are always complimentary. They said they have not had any complaints in 12 months but that they regularly remind people how to complain should they need to. They described people living there as being relaxed and happy and well looked after. From the statistical information they gave us, we can see there have been no complaints or allegations, no safeguarding investigations, no physical restraints and no deaths in the previous 12 months. We learned of 2 admissions to accident and emergency and because we had not been told about these at the time, we telephoned the manager for more information. She agreed she had not sent the information, but said she will in future. She explained that the same person had been admitted to accident and emergency on two occasions as a precautionary measure following falls. Appropriate support has been obtained from specialists to try to reduce the risk of further falls for Annual Service Review Page 4 of 7 this gentleman and there have been no further incidents. People living in the home always tell us that they are happy there. Four people made comments such as, staff are friendly and very helpful, keep up the good work, they do good things for all of us. I am happy, I think you are very good here. I think its a very good home. Several people said they like the meals and although most people told us that there is nothing the home could improve one person living there said they would like to be more involved with the running of the home and how staff develop ideas. Another person wants, more talking in groups with a third person telling us that although staff help him to play the lottery, he would like them to help him with this more often. The manager has told us that the people living there are asked every month if they are happy with their care. They have told us that some changes have been made as a result of listening to people. Therefore, we are confident that they will act upon the few suggestions for improvement that people have made to us. We received comments from 3 relatives of people living in the home. All continue to be very satisfied with the quality of the care. They described their experiences of the service in the following ways: The staff at Harper house do a very good job. My sister seems more relaxed now and gets on well with all the people at Harper house. I now feel more assured knowing that she is being looked after very well. I think that the carers and staff do a really good job as it is, they have games and play bingo. There are jigsaw puzzles, DVDs and television. They also have entertainment occasionally. I do not think they could do any more. Care really well, great food, fun, company and kindness. This person suggested maybe taking people out more on the minibus. Harper house provides a home from home safe and caring environment in which the elderly can live. When Harper house accepted my mum as a resident it took a great worry off the shoulders of the family. I am more than happy with the standard of the carers and the care administered at Harper house. My mum has been encouraged to eat properly again since being as Harper house whereby when she had carers coming into her own home she just used to leave the food left for her as there was no one to encourage her to eat it. Staff too in their responses to us have demonstrated that they are completely happy with their work and the support they are provided with. They feel that they know the people they care for well and provide very good support. In turn, they feel well supported. One staff member said the manager is very understanding and another said, the manager is a wonderful person to work for. Harper House is clearly a happy place to live and work. We are satisfied that it continues to provide excellent outcomes for the people who depend on them for their care. What are we going to do as a result of this annual service review? Annual Service Review Page 5 of 7 When we carried out the previous annual service review in October 2008, we said that we would carry out a key inspection before 16 october 2009. Our policies have since changed about how often we inspect. Therefore, we have carried out this annual service review and do not plan to carry out a key inspection in 2009. We will do a key inspection by 16 October 2010. However we can inspect the service at any time if we have concerns about the quality of the service or the safety of the people using the service. Annual Service Review Page 6 of 7 Reader Information Document Purpose: Author: Audience: Further copies from: Annual service review CQC General Public 0870 240 7535 (national contact centre) Our duty to regulate social care services is set out in the Care Standards Act 2000. The content of which can be found on our website. Helpline: Telephone: 03000 616161 Email: enquiries@cqc.org.uk Web: www.cqc.org.uk We want people to be able to access this information. If you would like a copy of the findings in a different format or language please contact our helpline or go to our website. Copyright © (2009) Care Quality Commission (CQC). This publication may be reproduced in whole or in part, free of charge, in any format or medium provided that it is not used for commercial gain. This consent is subject to the material being reproduced accurately and on proviso that it is not used in a derogatory manner or misleading context. The material should be acknowledged as CQC copyright, with the title and date of publication of the document specified. Annual Service Review Page 7 of 7 - Please note that this information is included on www.bestcarehome.co.uk under license from the regulator. Re-publishing this information is in breach of the terms of use of that website. Discrete codes and changes have been inserted throughout the textual data shown on the site that will provide incontrovertable proof of copying in the event this information is re-published on other websites. The policy of www.bestcarehome.co.uk is to use all legal avenues to pursue such offenders, including recovery of costs. You have been warned!