Background to this inspection
Updated
19 May 2021
The inspection
We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (the Act) as part of our regulatory functions. We checked whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Act. We looked at the overall quality of the service and provided a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.
As part of this inspection we looked at the infection control and prevention measures in place. This was conducted so we can understand the preparedness of the service in preventing or managing an infection outbreak, and to identify good practice we can share with other services.
Inspection team
The inspection was carried out by one inspector.
Service and service type
Highcroft Nursing Home is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.
The service had a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. This means that they and the provider are legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided.
Notice of inspection
This inspection was unannounced.
What we did before the inspection
Before the inspection we reviewed the information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We reviewed CQC notifications. Notifications describe events that happen in the service that the provider is legally required to tell us about.
The provider was not asked to complete a provider information return prior to this inspection. This is information we require providers to send us to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We took this into account when we inspected the service and made the judgements in this report.
We used all of this information to plan our inspection.
During the inspection
We spoke with the registered manager and service manager. We spoke with five other staff, including nursing, care, housekeeping and catering staff. We spoke briefly with some people who lived at the service during our inspection.
We reviewed a range of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures, checks and audits.
We considered all this information to help us to make a judgement about the service.
After the inspection
After the inspection, we spoke with the relatives of six people who live at the service. Their comments have been incorporated into this report.
Updated
19 May 2021
About the service
Highcroft Nursing Home is a care home which provides personal and nursing care for up to 23 people. Seventeen people were living at the service at the time of our inspection. The service is located in a large detached house, and all levels are accessible via a lift and external access.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
We were assured that people were protected by the prevention and control of infection. This included staff safely using and disposing of personal protective equipment (PPE), safe visiting practices and isolation guidance which followed government guidance.
Medicines were safely managed and administered. People had individual plans for ‘when required’ medicines and regular checks took place to ensure medicines were managed in line with legal requirements.
People were protected from the risk of harm, and people’s relatives told us they felt their family members were very safe at Highcroft Nursing Home. Regular checks were carried out, and staff had received training in safeguarding and reporting concerns. There were enough staff to keep people safe, and staff knew people well.
Staff, relatives and people who lived at the service told us there was a positive culture which was person-centred, open, inclusive and empowering. This supported people to enjoy good health and wellbeing. People and relatives, we spoke with were very happy with the care they received. Staff we spoke with were proud of the care and service they provided and felt well supported by the management team.
There was effective communication and the management team understood their responsibilities. The service appeared organised and well run. Systems and processes were in place to regularly check quality and safety.
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.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk
Rating at last inspection
The last rating for this service was Good (published 20 March 2021).
Why we inspected
We carried out an inspection of this service on 25 November 2020, with follow up visits on 27 November and 10 December. Breaches of legal requirements relating to infection prevention and control were found. The provider completed an action plan after the last inspection to show what they would do and by when to improve safe care and treatment. At this inspection, we found improvements had been made and the provider was no longer in breach of regulations.
We undertook this focused inspection to check the provider had followed their action plan and to confirm they now met legal requirements. This report only covers our findings in relation to the Key Questions Safe and Well-led which contain those requirements.
The ratings from the previous comprehensive inspection for those key questions not looked at on this occasion were used in calculating the overall rating at this inspection. The overall rating for the service remains Good. This is based on the findings at this inspection.
We looked at infection prevention and control measures under the Safe key question. We look at this in all care home inspections, even if no concerns or risks have been identified. This is to provide assurance that the service can respond to COVID-19 and other infection outbreaks effectively.
You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Highcroft Nursing Home on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.
Follow up
We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.