Falcon and Griffin Extra Care Scheme provides personal care and support to mainly older people, who live within a sheltered housing scheme. The Extra Care Scheme consists of two blocks of one bedroom flats and bungalows. Falcon House has 20 flats and 15 bungalows and Griffin House has 20 flats and 14 bungalows. Whilst the housing is managed by Six Town Housing in Bury , the care is provided by the staff of Bury Metropolitan Borough Council. The buildings are situated in a residential area that is close to bus routes that lead to Bury and to Rochdale.

This was an announced inspection which took place on 08 August 2017. In accordance with our guidance, two working days prior to the inspection we contacted the service and told them of our plans to carry out a comprehensive inspection of the service. This was to ensure a representative of the registered provider was available and able to provide the information we needed when we visited the service.

At the time of the inspection the scheme was providing personal care and support to18 people. In addition the scheme provides a service whereby they contact all the people in the flats and the bungalows on a twice daily basis via the intercom system. This was to check on people’s welfare and safety. We were told that two of the flats were also used as a ‘halfway house’ to enable an earlier discharge from hospital for people who, although medically fit, still required care and support.

Falcon and Griffin Extra Care Scheme has a registered manager who, due to authorised leave, was not present on the day of the inspection. 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 service was previously inspected in January 2015 when we found the registered provider was meeting all the requirements of the Health and Social Care Act (HSCA) 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014.

We saw that suitable arrangements were in place to help safeguard people from abuse. Guidance and training was provided for staff on identifying and responding to the signs and allegations of abuse. Staff were able to demonstrate their understanding of the whistle-blowing procedures (the reporting of unsafe and/or poor practice).

We found sufficient suitably trained staff, who were safely recruited, were employed to ensure people received the support they required. We saw that staff received the essential training and support necessary to enable them to do their job effectively and be able to care and support people safely.

The support staff had received medicine management training and we found the system for managing medicines within people's homes was safe.

Appropriate fire and environmental risk assessments had been completed for the communal areas in order to promote the safety of people who used the service, members of staff and visitors. Risks were also assessed in relation to general safety issues within people's own homes. Procedures were in place to deal with any emergency that could affect the provision of care, such as, severe weather and a failure of the electricity and water supply.

We saw that appropriate arrangements were in place to assess whether people were able to consent to their care. The deputy manager demonstrated a good understanding of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA). The MCA provides legal safeguards for people who may be unable to make their own decisions.

People's care records contained enough information to guide staff on the care and support required. The care records showed that risks to people's health and well-being had been identified, such as the risk of poor mobility and risk of falls. We saw that plans were in place to help reduce or eliminate any identified risk. People were invo

Falcon and Griffin Extra Care Scheme provide personal care and support to people who live within a sheltered housing scheme. This was an announced visit which took place on 7 and 12 January 2015.

The last inspection of Falcon and Griffin Extra Care Scheme took place on 17 October 2013 when it was found to be meeting all the regulatory requirements we looked at.

A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Like registered manager, they are ‘registered persons’. Registered persons have a legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run. The registered manager for the service was available at the time of our visit.

There were 18 people using the service at the time of our inspection who were supported by a staff team of 14 care workers, which included the registered manager and the senior support worker.

We found errors relating to the administration of medicines for one person who used the service. The registered manager took immediate action to rectify this matter and put systems in place to ensure there was no repeat of our findings.

People who used the service who we spoke with said that they felt safe with the care workers who supported them. They told us they could speak to the registered manager or the senior support worker about any concerns, worries or problems they had and were confident that action would be taken to sort the issue out.

We saw there were recruitment and selection procedures in place to help protect people who used the service from coming into contact with staff who were unsuitable to work with vulnerable people.

Staff we spoke with knew what action to take should they witness or hear a disclosure of abuse. There was a clear safeguarding reporting procedure in place for staff to follow, which included out of office hours. Staff also understood their whistle blowing responsibilities in relation to reporting poor practice of colleagues.

The scheme had a hydration policy and procedure in place for staff to follow. This explained why good hydration practice was essential for maintaining good health and wellbeing.

Before our visit to Falcon and Griffin Extra Care Scheme we received comments back from community based professionals. One stated, “Whenever I have had involvement with Falcon and Griffin I have been very impressed with their attitude, approach and flexibility. They are extremely supportive of customers, families and colleagues and nothing is too much.”

Training records we saw showed that staff had received training in equality and diversity, dignity in care and person centred care. Records showed that people were involved in the planning of their care.

The senior support worker had been trained to undertake assessments of people for small aids and adaptations and moving and handling equipment. This equipment helps to promote people’s independence.

The care plans detailed people’s individual needs and were signed by the person concerned; this indicated they were in agreement with the care to be provided. The registered manager had a system in place to ensure people’s needs were regularly reviewed.

People who used the service and staff told us the registered manager and the senior support worker, were very approachable and supportive. The registered manager was described by staff as “A good listener” and “Calls a spade a spade.”

We saw that people’s care and support needs were assessed by Bury Council Adult Care Services, and care workers followed a care plan that had been put in place. Daily records showed the assessed level of support was provided. We also saw that if a person’s needs changed care workers alerted the Council who reassessed the person’s needs.

If care workers had concerns about people’s nutrition they kept a food chart and informed the person’s GP. We saw that dieticians gave advice to care workers if a person required a modified or special diet.

People were involved in their care planning and signed to say they agreed with their care plans. Care workers were trained in the Mental Capacity Act 2005, and we saw that best interest meetings were held when specific decisions had to be made for people who had difficulty making their own decisions.

Care workers were provided with personal protective clothing to use when carrying out personal care. People confirmed that this was used appropriately. People also told us that staff visited them when they were expected. Staff said that if someone was unable to work at short notice another care worker would usually provide cover. We saw evidence that agency staff were accessed if necessary.

The service had a complaints process in place that people were aware of. We saw that complaints had been dealt with appropriately.

We visited the scheme unannounced at 10.00am on Wednesday 7th March 2012. We spoke with eight people living at the scheme, the registered manager and a senior staff member. We also looked around parts of the building and at some staff records,

People told us that they had been concerned that the scheme would be like a care home but were pleasantly surprised to find that it was not. They said that they had the “Best of both worlds” with the privacy of own flats and the opportunity to sit and chat with others if they wanted to. They said that they usually spent time together during the day then went to their flats around about 4pm to make their tea.

People told us that they had been made to feel very welcome when they came to live at Falcon and Griffin and enjoyed the feeling of being part of a “neighbourhood” again where people looked out for each other. They said the scheme was “fantastic” “brilliant” and everyone was “very friendly.”

People told us that they were very pleased with the improvements made to the scheme. They said that they were looking forward to the planned improvements to the flats.

Some people told us that the most important thing to them was that they felt “safe.” They said that they had “peace of mind” and it was “good to know that there was back up.” They said that if they had any worries or concerns that they could speak to any member of staff and they were confident that they would “try their best to sort it out” and everyone “looked out for each other.”

People spoke highly of the staff they said that they were a “good team”. They said that nothing was too much trouble for the staff and marked them as “twelve out of ten!”

We also asked the local adult care commissioning and safeguarding teams whether they had any concerns about the scheme. They confirmed that they had not.

Care and support was planned and delivered in a way that was intended to ensure people's safety and welfare. We saw examples of where personal preferences around personal care had been entered into their support plan. We also saw people’s likes and dislikes were recorded.

People were protected against the risks associated with medicines because the provider had appropriate arrangements in place to manage medicines.

There was enough equipment to promote the independence and comfort of people who use the service.

Appropriate checks were undertaken before staff began work to ensure they were suitable people to work with vulnerable adults.

We saw feedback from people using the service and their relatives from a quality assurance survey undertaken in February 2013. Comments included, “I think carers are very polite and helpful, they are a good team and do a good job” “The service is very reliable” and “We have an excellent extra care scheme at Falcon and Griffin”.