Harvey House

Updated 9 December 2023

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 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 Health and Social Care Act 2008.

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 2 inspectors and an Expert by Experience. 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

Harvey House is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing and/or personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement dependent on their registration with us. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

Registered Manager

This provider is required to have a registered manager to oversee the delivery of regulated activities at this location. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Registered managers and providers are legally responsible for how the service is run, for the quality and safety of the care provided and compliance with regulations.

At the time of our inspection there was a registered manager in post.

Notice of inspection

This inspection was unannounced.

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 who work with the service. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return (PIR). This is information providers are required to send us annually with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. We used all this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with 8 people using the service. We spoke with the operations manager, registered manager, administrator, and 6 members of the care staff team.

Following our inspection visit our Expert by Experience spoke with 11 relatives by phone to get their views on the service.

We reviewed a range of records. This included 4 people's care records, medicines records, recruitment records, and a variety of records relating to the management of the service.

Updated 9 December 2023

About the service

Harvey House is a residential care home providing accommodation and personal care to up to 44 people. At the time of our inspection there were 40 people using the service.

The service provides support to older people, some of whom are living with dementia, or have mental health needs, physical disabilities, and/or sensory impairment.

The service is also registered to support younger people and people with a learning disability but was not providing support to people in these categories at the time of our inspection. The registered manager said that if they did, proper arrangements would be put in place to ensure people’s needs were met.

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

People were happy with the care they received and felt safe at Harvey House. Relatives praised the registered manager and staff and said they would recommend the service with many giving it ‘10 out of 10’ for quality. A relative said, “The [staff] I’ve met are brilliant, the care is great.”

The service had a friendly, calm atmosphere. Staff continually interacted with people and engaged them in activities. A relative said, “The staff are never sitting around, they’re always doing something, they speak beautifully to the residents." The service was well-staffed and although staff were busy, they ensured people’s care and support needs were met promptly.

The premises were being upgraded at the time of our inspection to ensure the environment was homely and personalised throughout. The registered manager said the service had an on-going refurbishment plan and the provider was committed to ensuring the quality of the premises continued to improve.

Staff followed care plans and risk assessments which were up to date and regularly reviewed. People were supported to take their medicines safely as prescribed and to access healthcare services to monitor and maintain their health and well-being. Staff encouraged people to maintain a healthy diet and if people had specific dietary requirements these were catered for.

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

Staff and relative spoke highly of the registered manager who they said was approachable, helpful, and kind. A staff member said, “[Registered manager] is the heart of this home. She is 100% committed to our residents and fantastically supportive of the staff.”

The operations manager and registered manager monitored all areas of the service to ensure it was running safely and effectively. People, relatives, and staff were listened to and encouraged to share their views on the service with changes and improvements made where necessary.

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

Rating at last inspection

The last rating for this service was good (published 5 October 2022).

Why we inspected

This inspection was prompted by a review of the information we held about this service and when the service was last inspected.

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.

This was a focused inspection, and the report only covers our findings in relation to the Key Questions safe and well-led. For those key questions not inspected, we used the ratings awarded at the last inspection to calculate the overall rating.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.