The Hermitage

Updated 27 March 2021

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.

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

This inspection took place on 19 March 2021 and was announced prior to us entering the home, so we could ensure that measures were in place to support an inspection and manage any infection control risks.

Updated 27 March 2021

About the service

The Hermitage is a residential care home providing accommodation and personal care in one adapted building to 19 older people at the time of the inspection. The service can support up to 24 people.

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

Staff followed the systems in place to monitor and manage people’s risks and keep people safe from avoidable harm. Staff used their training and knowledge to prevent the spread of infections. People had either a risk assessment in place to ensure it was safe for them to take their own medicines or staff who had been trained and competency checked, managed and administered people’s prescribed medicines safely.

Staff received training and appraisals from the management team that helped enable them to do their job well.

We have made a recommendation about the formal recording of the content of staff supervisions meetings.

The service was well managed by a registered manager and a management team. Motivated staff were encouraged and supported to give people a good-quality service. Checks were made to assess the quality of care being given including unannounced visits by the management team to the service. However, staff did not always record these checks, or any actions required.

We have made a recommendation about the formal recording of all governance checks and improvement actions to evidence the quality of the service provided.

Staff treated the people they supported kindly and with compassion. People had positive opinions of the staff who cared for them. Staff promoted and maintained people’s privacy and dignity. People enjoyed the activities that went on at the service. Links were established with the local community and people from the community were encouraged to attend events held at the service.

People were supported to eat and drink enough amounts and were involved in making decisions about their care. Staff gave and respected people’s choices. Their preferences on how staff delivered their care was recorded in care records for staff to follow.

No complaints had been received but people and their relatives told us they knew how to raise any concerns. People and their relatives were given opportunities to give their view of the service and from this feedback action was taken to make any improvements.

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

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

Rating at last inspection

The last rating for this service was good (report published 20 May 2017).

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.