We carried out a review of the data available to us about Little Heath Court on 6 July 2023. We have not found evidence that we need to carry out an inspection or reassess our rating at this stage.
This could change at any time if we receive new information. We will continue to monitor data about this service.
If you have concerns about Little Heath Court, you can give feedback on this service.
The service is required to have a registered manager. There was a registered manager in post who had been registered to manage the service since May 2017. 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.
This was an unannounced inspection which took place on 12 December 2017.
At the last inspection in October 2015 the service was rated Good. At this inspection we found the service remained Good.
Why the service is rated good.
The service remained safe. People’s safety was contributed to by staff who had been trained in safeguarding vulnerable adults and health and safety policies and procedures. Staff understood how to protect people and who to alert if they had any concerns. General risks and risks related to the needs of individual people were identified and appropriate action was taken to reduce them.
There were enough staff on duty at all times to meet people’s diverse, individual needs safely. The service had a stable staff team. When new staff were recruited they had systems in place to ensure, that as far as possible, they were safe and suitable to work with people. People were given their medicines safely, at the right times and in the right amounts by trained and competent staff.
The service remained effective. Staff were well-trained and able to meet people’s health and well-being needs. They were able to respond effectively to people’s current and changing needs. The service sought advice from and worked with health and other professionals to ensure they met people’s needs.
People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.
The service continued to be caring. The dedicated, attentive and knowledgeable staff team provided care with kindness and respect. Individualised care planning ensured people’s equality and diversity was respected. People were provided with a wide variety of activities, according to their needs, abilities, health and preferences.
The service was rated outstanding in responsive. We noted considerable and sustained improvements in the overall responsiveness to people’s needs and preferences. In particular the communication needs of people were understood and there was a consistent response to people's individual communication needs. Imaginative ways had been sought to assist people to communicate more effectively including the use of assistive technology. Some people had experienced significant and exemplary enhancements to their quality of life experiences.
The service was very well led by a registered manager who was committed to enabling people to live their lives to the full and to provide a safe and enabling environment which people called their home. The registered manager received regular praise and positive feedback from staff, relatives and professionals. There was a strong emphasis on team working and staff confirmed they worked well together. They involved people and their relatives in contributing to all aspects of the service and sought views and feedback in order to improve and develop. The registered manager and provider continually monitored the quality of the service and made improvements where needed.
Choice Ltd - Little Heath Court is registered to provide care for up to 8 people. The home provides a service to people with learning and associated behavioural disabilities as well as physical disabilities. There were six people living in the service on the day of the visit. The accommodation is a bungalow with an annex, located in the suburbs within a quiet secluded area.
There is a registered manager running 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.
People’s safety was promoted as staff understood and followed safe practices. Staff members were able to recognise signs of abuse. The provider had identified risks affecting the people's safety and had put appropriate measures in place to reduce the risk of harm. The measures included situations in which people's behaviour might cause harm or distress to themselves or others.
Staff at Little Heath Court responded flexibly to people's individual wishes and changing needs and sought support from health and wellbeing specialists when necessary. People's dignity and privacy were respected and supported by staff. Support workers were skilled in using an individual's specific communication methods and were aware of changes in people needs. The house was well-kept and adapted to meet people's individual needs. People's rooms reflected their individual interests and tastes.
People were protected from unsafe administration of their medicines, because support workers had been trained to administer medicines with regard to safety regulations and precautions. Staff’s competence was reviewed regularly to ensure that the medicines were administered safely.
People were helped to identify their individual needs and the goals they wanted to achieve in the future by knowledgeable and responsive staff.
Staff had completed training on Mental Capacity Act (MCA) 2005 and understood their responsibilities. The Mental Capacity Act 2005 legislation provides a legal framework that sets out how to support people who do not have capacity to make specific decision. When some of people lacked the capacity to consent to their care and decisions had to be made on their behalf, legal requirements were followed by staff. The provider helped people to use advocacy services where required.
The CQC monitors the operation of the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) which applies to care homes. The registered manager had completed the required training and was aware of relevant case law. We found the provider to be meeting the requirements of the DoLS.
People's needs in relation to nutrition and hydration were documented in their care plans. People received appropriate support to ensure that they received sufficient amounts of food and drink. Meals, drinks and snacks provided to people suited their dietary needs and preferences.
Accidents were investigated thoroughly by the registered manager. Actions identified from the analysis of the incidents were implemented promptly by the registered manager. This ensured the delivery of a high quality service and maintained the safety and welfare of people. The registered manager effectively operated a series of audits to assess and monitor the quality of the service.
The registered manager was respected and valued by people, their relatives and staff. Regular quality and risk audits had ensured that the issues affecting people's care had been identified. As a result, appropriate actions were taken to drive improvements to the quality of the care the people received.
Choice Ltd - Little Heath Court is registered to provide care for up to 8 people. The home provides a service to people with learning and associated behavioural disabilities as well as physical disabilities. There were six people living in the service on the day of the visit. The accommodation is a bungalow with an annex, located in the suburbs within a quiet secluded area.
There is a registered manager running 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.
People’s safety was promoted as staff understood and followed safe practices. Staff members were able to recognise signs of abuse. The provider had identified risks affecting the people's safety and had put appropriate measures in place to reduce the risk of harm. The measures included situations in which people's behaviour might cause harm or distress to themselves or others.
Staff at Little Heath Court responded flexibly to people's individual wishes and changing needs and sought support from health and wellbeing specialists when necessary. People's dignity and privacy were respected and supported by staff. Support workers were skilled in using an individual's specific communication methods and were aware of changes in people needs. The house was well-kept and adapted to meet people's individual needs. People's rooms reflected their individual interests and tastes.
People were protected from unsafe administration of their medicines, because support workers had been trained to administer medicines with regard to safety regulations and precautions. Staff’s competence was reviewed regularly to ensure that the medicines were administered safely.
People were helped to identify their individual needs and the goals they wanted to achieve in the future by knowledgeable and responsive staff.
Staff had completed training on Mental Capacity Act (MCA) 2005 and understood their responsibilities. The Mental Capacity Act 2005 legislation provides a legal framework that sets out how to support people who do not have capacity to make specific decision. When some of people lacked the capacity to consent to their care and decisions had to be made on their behalf, legal requirements were followed by staff. The provider helped people to use advocacy services where required.
The CQC monitors the operation of the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) which applies to care homes. The registered manager had completed the required training and was aware of relevant case law. We found the provider to be meeting the requirements of the DoLS.
People's needs in relation to nutrition and hydration were documented in their care plans. People received appropriate support to ensure that they received sufficient amounts of food and drink. Meals, drinks and snacks provided to people suited their dietary needs and preferences.
Accidents were investigated thoroughly by the registered manager. Actions identified from the analysis of the incidents were implemented promptly by the registered manager. This ensured the delivery of a high quality service and maintained the safety and welfare of people. The registered manager effectively operated a series of audits to assess and monitor the quality of the service.
The registered manager was respected and valued by people, their relatives and staff. Regular quality and risk audits had ensured that the issues affecting people's care had been identified. As a result, appropriate actions were taken to drive improvements to the quality of the care the people received.
Choice Ltd - Little Heath Court is registered to provide care for up to 8 people. The home provides a service to people with learning and associated behavioural disabilities as well as physical disabilities. There were six people living in the service on the day of the visit. The accommodation is a bungalow with an annex, located in the suburbs within a quiet secluded area.
There is a registered manager running 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.
People’s safety was promoted as staff understood and followed safe practices. Staff members were able to recognise signs of abuse. The provider had identified risks affecting the people's safety and had put appropriate measures in place to reduce the risk of harm. The measures included situations in which people's behaviour might cause harm or distress to themselves or others.
Staff at Little Heath Court responded flexibly to people's individual wishes and changing needs and sought support from health and wellbeing specialists when necessary. People's dignity and privacy were respected and supported by staff. Support workers were skilled in using an individual's specific communication methods and were aware of changes in people needs. The house was well-kept and adapted to meet people's individual needs. People's rooms reflected their individual interests and tastes.
People were protected from unsafe administration of their medicines, because support workers had been trained to administer medicines with regard to safety regulations and precautions. Staff’s competence was reviewed regularly to ensure that the medicines were administered safely.
People were helped to identify their individual needs and the goals they wanted to achieve in the future by knowledgeable and responsive staff.
Staff had completed training on Mental Capacity Act (MCA) 2005 and understood their responsibilities. The Mental Capacity Act 2005 legislation provides a legal framework that sets out how to support people who do not have capacity to make specific decision. When some of people lacked the capacity to consent to their care and decisions had to be made on their behalf, legal requirements were followed by staff. The provider helped people to use advocacy services where required.
The CQC monitors the operation of the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) which applies to care homes. The registered manager had completed the required training and was aware of relevant case law. We found the provider to be meeting the requirements of the DoLS.
People's needs in relation to nutrition and hydration were documented in their care plans. People received appropriate support to ensure that they received sufficient amounts of food and drink. Meals, drinks and snacks provided to people suited their dietary needs and preferences.
Accidents were investigated thoroughly by the registered manager. Actions identified from the analysis of the incidents were implemented promptly by the registered manager. This ensured the delivery of a high quality service and maintained the safety and welfare of people. The registered manager effectively operated a series of audits to assess and monitor the quality of the service.
The registered manager was respected and valued by people, their relatives and staff. Regular quality and risk audits had ensured that the issues affecting people's care had been identified. As a result, appropriate actions were taken to drive improvements to the quality of the care the people received.
We spoke with one person and relatives of other people who made positive comments about the quality of care provided. One parent told us, "The care and staff are excellent and whoever answers the phone when I ring always knows what's happening and how they are." Another person said, "The staff are very friendly and professional. I wouldn't want them to be anywhere else"
We found that the provider had protected people who used the service from the risk of abuse because they had taken reasonable steps to identify the possibility of abuse and prevent abuse from happening.
We observed medication being given and saw that the provider had an effective system for the management of medicines, which meant people had received them safely.
Staff we spoke with told us that they received appropriate training and supervision, which we confirmed by reviewing their staff files.
People were protected against the risk of inappropriate or unsafe care because the provider had assessed and monitored the quality of the service and effectively managed identified risks.
We were told that independence and individuality were promoted within the home. People living there were supported and enabled to do things for themselves. They were encouraged to express their views using their preferred individual communication styles and to participate in making decisions relating to their care and treatment.