Archived: Handley House

Handley House is a care home that was providing personal care to 31 people at the time of the inspection. The service accommodates up to 66 older people over three floors, some of whom may be living with dementia. The care home was purpose built and opened in 2019.

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

People were supported by staff who were kind and attentive. Staff were aware of risks to people’s safety and wellbeing and acted to reduce risks whilst still promoting people’s independence and skills. There were enough staff available to meet people’s needs, but the provider was recruiting more night staff for vacant posts. People were supported by staff who had been appropriately vetted before commencing employment.

People received their medicines as prescribed and had access to a range of health professionals and specialists when required. People received a varied, nutritious diet and staff ensured people had enough to drink. People’s weight was monitored to identify any changes or concerns.

Robust measures had been put in place in response to the coronavirus pandemic and staff wore personal protective equipment. Safe visiting arrangements were in place and being kept under review in response to local and national guidance. The environment was clean and well-maintained.

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. People were involved in decisions and their choices respected.

The provider used an electronic care planning system and staff had access to information about people's needs and preferences. This helped them provide person-centred care. People's privacy and dignity was respected. People had access to a good range of activities and entertainment and there was a pleasant atmosphere in the home.

Systems were in place to check the quality and safety of the service and the provider demonstrated

commitment to continual improvement. Where mistakes, concerns or issues had occurred over the previous year, the provider and registered manager had learned and taken action to improve systems. Staff were motivated and enjoyed their work. There were some mixed views from staff, but the majority felt supported. People and relatives were satisfied with the service and one relative told us they felt “Excellent care” was provided.

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

Rating at last inspection

This service was registered with us on 1 May 2019 and this is the first inspection.

Why we inspected

This was a scheduled inspection based on the service's registration. The inspection was also prompted in part due to concerns received in relation to staffing levels and competence, medicines practices, moving and handling training, supplies in relation to infection control and management. A decision was made for us to inspect and examine those risks. We found no evidence during this inspection that people were at risk of harm from these concerns. Please see the Safe and Well-led sections of this full report.

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 coronavirus and other infection outbreaks effectively.

Follow up

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