Archived: Hillcroome Road

Updated 14 December 2016

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, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

This unannounced inspection took place on 3 and 9 November 2016. It was carried out by one inspector. Before this inspection we looked at notifications that the service is legally required to send us about certain events such as serious injuries and allegations of abuse. We spoke with six people who used the service and observed care and support people received throughout our inspection.

We also spoke with three staff, the registered manager and the service manager. We looked at four people’s care files and four staff files. We looked at other records related to the running of the service. After the inspection we spoke with two relatives and two health and social care professionals.

Updated 14 December 2016

The inspection took place on 3 and 9 November 2016 and was unannounced. This was the first inspection of this service since it was registered with the Care Quality Commission on 15 April 2016.

12, Hillcroome Road is a supported living service that provides rehabilitative care and support for up to 10 adults living with mild to moderate mental health needs. Supported living is where people live independently in specifically designed or independent accommodation but need some help or support to do so. There were nine people living at the service when we inspected it. The accommodation was provided by another organisation and as 12 Hillcroombe Road is not registered for accommodation with the CQC, the premises and related aspects were not inspected.

The service had a registered manager. 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.

People told us they felt safe. Staff were trained in adult safeguarding procedures and knew what to do if they considered people were at risk of harm or if they needed to report any suspected abuse.

Our inspection of care records showed risks to people were assessed and there was guidance for staff as to how those risks should be managed to reduce the likelihood of harm.

There were sufficient numbers of staff to meet people’s needs. Staff recruitment procedures ensured only those staff suitable to work in a care setting were employed.

People received their medicines safely from appropriately trained staff.

Staff had access to a wide range of training they said helped them with their role of providing good, effective care to people at the service. Staff told us they received good support from their managers through regular supervision.

The service took appropriate action to ensure people gave consent before care was provided and staff were familiar with the requirements of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA). We saw and heard staff encouraging people to make their own decisions and giving them the time and support to do so.

People were supported to plan and cook their own meals together with appropriate support from staff when it was needed. We saw that people made their own choices about eating. People’s physical and mental health was closely monitored by staff. We saw that people had appropriate access to healthcare professionals such as the GP and their psychiatrists.

People and their relatives said that staff were kind, caring and compassionate. Staff knew people well and people said they felt they mattered. Staff also recognised people's right to privacy, promoted their dignity and respected confidential information. Advocacy services were available as necessary for people to use to support them in making decisions.

People said they felt that the service responded to their needs and individual preferences. Staff supported people according to their personalised care plans. Care plans were reviewed six monthly or earlier if people’s needs changed.

We saw there was an appropriate complaints policy in place that people were aware of. People told us that the registered manager encouraged people to raise any concerns they had and responded to them positively and in a timely manner.

People and staff were positive in their comments about the registered manager. They said he promoted an open and positive working environment that they felt able to contribute positively to the development of the service.

We saw there was a wide range of quality assurance audits in place that provided valuable information to develop and improve the service. This included audits of a wide range of aspects of the service provision. Key stakeholders were asked for their views about the care provided to people living at the service. The responses we saw were all positive. Where suggestions or comments were received the registered manager used the information to develop and improve the service.

The registered manager and the staff were approachable and fully engaged with providing good quality care for people who used the service.