Hampstead Road Care Home

Updated 12 January 2021

76-78 Hampstead Road Care Home is registered to provide personal care and accommodation for up to 12 people. People who live at the home have profound and multiple disabilities.

At the time of our inspection 10 people were being supported at the service.

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection was planned to check whether the provider is meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008.

This was a targeted inspection looking at the infection control and prevention measures the provider has in place. As part of CQC’s response to the coronavirus pandemic we are conducting a thematic review of infection control and prevention measures in care homes.

This inspection took place on 16 November 2020 and was announced. The service was selected to take part in this thematic review which is seeking to identify examples of good practice in infection prevention and control.

Updated 12 January 2021

The inspection took place on 15 October 2018 and was unannounced. Our last inspection was a focused inspection in August 2017 and the service was rated good at that time.

Hampstead Road 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.

Hampstead Road accommodates up to 12 people in two adapted buildings. There were 11 people at the home on the day of our visit.

The care service has been developed and designed in line with the values that underpin the Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. These values include choice, promotion of independence and inclusion. People with learning disabilities and autism using the service can live as ordinary a life as any citizen.

There was a registered manager for the service. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Like registered providers, they are 'registered persons'. Registered persons have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

Staff supervision and some training for some of the team was not up to date. This put people at risk of receiving ineffective care if they were supported by staff that were not fully supported and trained in their role. The registered manager had identified this shortfall, that had occurred over the last 12 months. An action plan was in place to bring all staff supervision and support meetings, as well as training, up to date.

We observed a person being assisted with meals by staff who stood up next to them. Staff told us the person had an identified need around eating. Specifically, sometimes staff told us they needed to assist the person with the meals by standing up next to them. Recognised good and safe practise is to sit down next to a person when directly assisting them to eat and drink. There was however no assessment to set out that this was the safest way to assist this person. Nor was there a risk assessment to show that risks were monitored and mitigated to reduce the chance of harm. This in turn meant there was no record of this aspect of care provided to the person concerned.

Medicines were administered safely and the systems in place to check and monitor the recording of medicines were up to date. This helped ensure that any errors would be picked up. There was guidance in place so that medicines were administered as people preferred.

People were protected from abuse. Staff were knowledgeable about the risks of abuse and reporting procedures. We found there were sufficient staff available to meet people's needs and that safe and effective recruitment practices were followed. Staff had good relationships with people who lived at the home and were attentive to their needs.

There were systems in place to ensure that the requirements of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 were followed. This law protects people who lack capacity to make informed decisions in their daily lives. Applications were in place for people at the home, under the Mental Capacity Act 2005 Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards. These helped ensure the necessary safeguards were in place for people at the home.

People were supported to have food and drink they liked. There were suitable arrangements for the provision of food to ensure that people's dietary needs were met.

People's needs were assessed and plans were developed to identify what care and support people required to maintain their health and wellbeing and build up their independence where possible.

People's needs were met and staff were informed of changes occurring within the home through daily handovers and staff meetings. Staff told us that they received up to date information and had an opportunity to share good practice and any concerns they had at these meetings.

The staff understood the needs of the people they supported very well. Staff treated people with respect. Staff demonstrated a good understanding of how to treat people in ways that were caring and supportive. This showed the team were caring and kind in the way they supported people.

There was a management structure in place with a team of support workers, manager and registered manager. Staff spoke positively about working at the home. There were systems in place to monitor and improve the quality of the service.

Audits were carried out and people's views were represented where ever possible. Where shortfalls were identified, such as in staff supervision and staff training, the registered manager was using the information to improve the service.