Holmdale

Updated 11 September 2021

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 and an Expert by Experience. An Expert by Experience is a person who has personal experience caring for someone who uses this type of care service.

Service and service type

Holmdale 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. The registered manager 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

We gave a short period notice of the inspection because some of the people using it could not consent to a home visit from an inspector. This gave the staff time to help reassure people of the inspection and people visiting the home.

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 of this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We reviewed a range of records which included one person's care records. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including audits, health and safety checks and recruitment records. We met all four people who live at Holmdale and spoke with one person's relative, two professionals, the registered manager and three support staff. 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.

After the inspection

We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found. We looked quality at assurance records.

Updated 11 September 2021

About the service

The service is registered to provide accommodation and personal care for up to six people. People who use the service have learning and physical disabilities. At the time of our inspection four people were living at Holmdale. The service is owned and managed by Community Integrated Care [CIC], which is a non-profit making organisation. Staff members are on duty twenty-four hours a day.

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

People were protected from abuse and the risk of abuse. Feedback from a relative and healthcare professional was very positive. They all felt that people were safe. Infection control practices were well managed and followed to minimise the risk of the spread of infection.

People received care and support from experienced staff who were supported in their role. People were offered a nutritious and balanced diet that met their cultural needs and wishes. Systems were in place to ensure that people's healthcare needs were understood and met.

We expect health and social care providers to guarantee autistic people and people with a learning disability the choices, dignity, independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted. Right Support, right care, right culture is the statutory guidance which supports CQC to make assessments and judgements about services providing support to people with a learning disability and/or autistic people.

The service was able to demonstrate how they were meeting the underpinning principles of Right support, right care, right culture. Care is person-centred and promotes people’s dignity, privacy and human rights.

Right support:

The layout of the home supported people to live independently. Staff supported people to live lives that were fulfilling.

Right care:

The care provided was person-centred and promoted people's dignity, privacy and upheld their human rights.

Right culture:

The values and of well rained staff ensured people living in the home were leading more inclusive lives within their communities.

Staff knew people well and were knowledgeable about individual's needs and wishes and how they were to be met. People and their family members had access to information as to how to raise a concern or complaint about the service.

Systems were in place to monitor the quality of the service that people received. Staff felt well supported by the management team, who they felt were very approachable.

For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk

Why we inspected

We undertook this inspection as part of a random selection of services rated Good and Outstanding to test the reliability of our new monitoring approach.

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.