Heathlands Residential Care Home

Updated 10 July 2019

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.

Inspection team

There was one inspector and an Expert with Experience as part of the inspection team. An Expert by Experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of care service.

Service and service type

Heathlands is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as 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

We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We sought feedback from the local authority and professionals who work with the service. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return. This is information providers are required to send us with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. This information helps support our inspections. We used all this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with 12 people who used the service and four relatives about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with 11 members of staff including the provider, registered manager, deputy manager, senior care workers, care workers and the chef. We also spoke with a visiting health care professional, who regularly worked with the service. We used the Short Observational Framework for Inspection (SOFI). SOFI is a way of observing care to help us understand the experience of people who could not talk with us.

We reviewed a range of records. This included four people’s care records and multiple medication records. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures were reviewed.

After the inspection

We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found.

Updated 10 July 2019

About the service

Heathlands Residential care home is a residential care home providing personal care to 58 people aged 65 and over at the time of the inspection. The service can support up to 63 people in one adapted building across two floors with specialist areas providing care to people living with dementia.

People’s experience of using this service and what we found

People and their relatives were positive about the service and the care provided. People benefited from the new initiatives and ideas to improve opportunities for social interactions and people’s well-being that involved people and their families. Staff were passionate about providing care in a very personalised way and worked with the registered manager to facilitate this. There was a culture of openness that was reflected in all aspects of the service. Suggestions and ideas were acted upon from people, families and staff. Staff were responsive to people's individual needs and wishes and had an in-depth knowledge about each person. Relatives confirmed staff knew their family members needs well.

People were cared for by staff who knew how to keep them safe and protect them from avoidable harm. Sufficient, knowledgeable staff were available to meet people's needs. People told us there was always someone to help when they needed it. People received their medicines regularly and systems were in place for the safe management and supply of medicines. Incidents and accidents were investigated, and actions were taken to prevent recurrence. The premises were clean, and staff followed infection control and prevention procedures.

People's needs were assessed, and care was planned and delivered to meet legislation and good practice guidance. Care was delivered by staff who were well trained and knowledgeable about people's needs and wishes. People enjoyed the meal time experience, and relatives and friends were welcome to share this experience. 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. When people were unable to make decisions about their care and support, the principles of the Mental Capacity Act (2005) were followed.

People were cared for by staff who were kind and compassionate. The atmosphere within the home was friendly and welcoming and staff were warm and considerate towards people they cared for. People and their relatives felt involved and supported in decision making. People's privacy was respected, and their dignity maintained.

People's concerns were listened to and action was taken to improve the service as a result. The registered manager and her management team were open, approachable and focussed on providing person centred care. Systems were in the process of being updated to improve the monitoring of the quality of care provided. The management team and staff engaged well with other organisations and had developed positive relationships. The registered manager worked on promoting strong community links within the health economy.

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 8 July 2016.)

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.

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.