St Albans House

St Albans House is a care home that provides personal care for up to five individuals. The Care Quality Commission (CQC) conducted an inspection to assess the quality of care provided. This report summarises the findings from that inspection.

On safety, the service failed to adequately protect residents from avoidable harm, with concerning practices around restraint and medication management. Risks were not consistently identified or mitigated, and systems were not robust enough to prevent abuse. While some efforts have been made to improve safety, including increased staffing and door locks, significant concerns remain.

In terms of how effective the care is, the service was not always ensuring that people had appropriate legal authorisations for deprivation of liberty, and restrictive practices were sometimes used without proper authorisation. Care plans were not always personalised or fully detailed, and guidance for staff on supporting residents' behaviours and daily living was not always clear.

Regarding how caring the service is, the report indicates that people's dignity, privacy, and human rights were not always adequately promoted. While staff knew residents well, the overall care approach was not always sufficiently person-centred.

In terms of how responsive the service is, the report highlights a lack of clear processes to support residents' maximum choice and control over their lives. Staff did not always support residents in the least restrictive way possible, and policies did not sufficiently support best interests practices.

Finally, concerning how well-led the service is, the report found that the ethos, values, attitudes, and behaviours of leaders and staff did not adequately ensure residents led confident, inclusive, and empowered lives. Systems and processes were not always effectively managed to ensure the quality and safety of care. The service is currently in special measures, meaning it will be closely monitored for significant improvements.