Hilton Community Services Limited

Updated 10 April 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 planned this inspection to check whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Act, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

Inspection team

One inspector and two experts by experience carried out the inspection. 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

Hilton Community Services Ltd is registered to provide domiciliary care and a supported living service. The service provides supported living services including personal care and support to people with a learning disability, autistic spectrum disorder or a mental health condition. People’s care and housing are provided under separate contractual agreements. CQC does not regulate premises used for supported living; this inspection looked at people’s personal care and support.

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

We carried out the inspection visit on 27 February 2019. It was announced. We told the provider two days before our visit that we would be coming. We did this because the manager is sometimes out of the office supporting staff or visiting people who use the service. We needed to be sure that they would be available at their office.

What we did

Before the inspection visit we looked at information we held about the home and used this information as part of our inspection planning. The information included notifications. Notifications are information on important events that happen in the home service that the provider is required by law to let us know about. On 21 February 2018 the provider had sent us a completed provider information return (PIR). The PIR is a form that asks the provider to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make.

During our inspection we spoke with the director of quality, the registered manager, a senior team leader, a transition and support service manager and the HR manager. We looked at three people's care records and four staff files as well as other records relating to the management of the home.

After the inspection we spoke to two care support staff, ten people who used the service and nine relatives.

We contacted three health care professionals but we did not receive a response from them.

Updated 10 April 2019

About the service

Hilton Community Services Ltd provides personal care and support to adults with learning and physical disabilities in their own supported living schemes across a variety of locations. Each home is purpose built, and leased by the people who use the service. However, Hilton Community Services Ltd provides 24-hour care to people based within each of these homes. For this report when we refer to people living in their own homes; these are shared schemes that accommodate a small number of people across the Essex, Suffolk and Norfolk areas. At the time of our inspection, the service was providing care and support to 72 people.

People’s experience of using this service

People told us that they were very happy living at the schemes because they felt safe and all their needs were met by kind and caring staff. Relatives were pleased with the service provided to their family members and staff enjoyed working at the service.

Relatives praised the managers of the service and agreed that they were approachable, knowledgeable, fair and did their job well. The staff team worked well together and supported the registered manager. The provider employed enough staff to make sure people’s need were met in a timely way.

The staff team was committed to providing a high-quality service and keeping people safe. They had undertaken training so that they were skilled and knowledgeable to effectively meet people’s needs. Staff understood their responsibilities to report any concerns.

Staff encouraged people to be as independent as possible and respected people’s privacy and dignity. Staff knew people well. Staff managed the risks to people’s health and welfare.

People were given choices about the way in which they were cared for. Staff listened to them and knew their needs well. Care plans contained detailed information about each person’s individual support needs and preferences in relation to their care and we found evidence of good outcomes for people. When people did not have the capacity to make their own decisions, staff maximised their involvement and made decisions in their best interests, in accordance with legislation.

Staffing levels were sufficient to meet people’s needs. Recruitment practices were safe and relevant checks had been completed before staff worked at the home. People’s medicines were managed appropriately so they received them safely.

People continued to receive a service that was responsive to their individual needs and preferences. Most people had complex needs and staff involved other professionals, to ensure they gained a full understanding of the factors influencing each person and further developed an individualised approach to their care. They had access to a range of activities and were encouraged to participate in events in the local community.

The managers of the service actively sought the views of people and their relatives about the running of the schemes and they dealt promptly with any concerns that people raised.

The provider had a number of systems in place to monitor and improve the quality and safety of the service provided.

More information is in the full report.

Rating at last inspection

At the last inspection we rated this service Good. The report was published on13 September 2016.

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor this service.