Archived: Highfield House

Updated 7 November 2018

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 was an unannounced inspection and was conducted by one adult social care inspector on the 25 September 2018.

We requested and received a provider information return (PIR). This is a form that asks the provider to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and any improvements they plan to make. We used this information to help plan the inspection.

Before our inspection visit we reviewed the information we held about the service. This included notifications the provider had made to us. Notifications tell us about any incidents or events that affect people who use the service. We also asked Rochdale Healthwatch and local authority for their views of service and they did not have any concerns.

We spoke with three people who used the service, an advocate, the registered manager, two area managers and two care staff members.

During our inspection we observed the support provided by staff in communal areas of the home. We looked at the care records of three people and medicines administration records for eight people who used the service. We also looked at the recruitment, training and supervision records for four members of staff, minutes of meetings and a variety of other records related to the management of the service.

Updated 7 November 2018

Highfield House is a large detached house situated close to the centre of Heywood. The home is registered to provide accommodation and personal care for up to 25 people. On the day of the inspection there were 21 people accommodated at the home.

The service had a registered manager. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the CQC 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.

The service had changed their legal company status since the last inspection of January 2017. However, the changes did not affect the direct ownership or senior management team. At the inspection of January 2017, the service was rated as good overall with no breaches of the regulations.

The service used the local authority safeguarding procedures to report any safeguarding concerns. Staff had been trained in safeguarding topics and were aware of their responsibilities to report any possible abuse.

Recruitment procedures were robust and ensured new staff were safe to work with vulnerable adults.

The administration of medicines was safe. Staff had been trained in the administration of medicines and had up to date policies and procedures to follow.

The home was clean, tidy and homely in character. The environment was maintained at a good level.

Electrical and gas appliances were serviced regularly. Each person had a personal emergency evacuation plan (PEEP) and there was a business contingency plan for any unforeseen emergencies.

There were systems in place to prevent the spread of infection. Staff were trained in infection control and provided with the necessary equipment and hand washing facilities. This helped to protect the health and welfare of staff and people who used the service.

People were given choices in the food they ate and told us it was good. People were encouraged to eat and drink to ensure they were hydrated and well fed.

Staff had been trained in the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) and the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS). The registered manager was aware of their responsibilities of how to apply for any best interest decisions under the Mental Capacity Act (2005) and followed the correct procedures using independent professionals.

New staff received induction training to provide them with the skills to care for people. Staff files and the training matrix showed staff had undertaken sufficient training to meet the needs of people and they were supervised regularly to check their competence. Supervision sessions also gave staff the opportunity to discuss their work and ask for any training they felt necessary.

We observed there were good interactions between staff and people who used the service. People told us staff were kind and caring.

We saw from our observations of staff and records that people who used the service were given choices in many aspects of their lives and helped to remain independent where possible.

We saw that the quality of care plans gave staff sufficient information to look after people accommodated at the care home and the plans and care regularly reviewed.

People were treated with respect and dignity.

People were treated in accordance to their age, gender, sexuality and religion.

Plans of care were individual, person centred and reviewed regularly to help meet their health and social care needs.

We saw that people could attend activities of their choice and families and friends were able to visit when they wanted.

Audits, surveys and meetings helped the service maintain and improve their standards of support.

People thought the registered manager was approachable and supportive.