Heron House Residential Home

Updated 16 August 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

Abbeyfield (Somerset) Society 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. Abbeyfield (Somerset) Society is a care home without nursing care. 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 looked at all the information we had received from, and about, the home.

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

During the inspection we spoke with 13 people and 5 family visitors. We also spoke with 6 members of staff and 2 trustees. We received written feedback from 6 further relatives.

We used the Short Observational Framework for Inspection (SOFI). SOFI is a way of observing care to help us understand the experience of people who could not talk with us.

The registered manager was available throughout the inspection and the provider’s nominated individual was present for part of the inspection. The nominated individual is responsible for supervising the management of the service on behalf of the provider.

We looked at a variety of records relating to people’s individual care and the running of the home. These included 3 people’s pre-admission assessments and care plans, minutes of meetings, complaints and compliments information, records of audits and action plans and staff training information.

Updated 16 August 2023

About the service

Abbeyfield (Somerset) Society is a residential care home. The home is registered to provide personal care and accommodation to up to 44 people. The home specialises in the care of older people, including people living with dementia.

The building is split into three main areas. The main part of the home has 19 en-suite rooms and 8 self-contained apartments. There is also a 13 bedded area, called Quantock, which provides care to people who are living with dementia.

At the time of the inspection 38 people were living at the home.

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

People lived in a home where the provider and registered manager were passionate about providing high quality person-centred care. The ethos of respecting people’s views and wishes was embedded into the culture of the home.

Staff were inventive in seeking people’s views. This included holding a fashion show for people to choose staff uniforms. They also held a competition to name the newly opened bar.

There was a dedicated activities team who oversaw an outstanding activity programme. People had opportunities to continue their hobbies and interests and were supported to do so.

People and their relatives were very complimentary about how activities had been adapted during the pandemic to minimise the risks of loneliness and isolation.

The activity programme was based on people’s interests and was inclusive and empowering. People were able to continue to use their skills and were valued members of their community.

The provider and registered manager continually strived to make improvements in accordance with people’s wishes and needs. They worked with other professionals and used evidence-based practice to ensure they kept up to date with legislation and best practice.

There were excellent systems to monitor the quality of care including the use of outside consultants. When these systems identified shortfalls, robust action had been taken to ensure ongoing improvements. Lessons learnt were shared with staff and people to make sure everyone was involved.

People benefitted from a registered manager who encouraged and welcomed positive and negative feedback. Their motto was ‘Feedback is a gift.’ People felt able to discuss any issues with staff and the management. This all helped to promote an open and learning culture.

People’s relatives praised the management of the home and culture they had promoted. People appreciated the openness and transparency of the management.

The staff were very responsive to people’s needs and preferences providing different care for people’s different needs and wishes. This was demonstrated in the varied décor styles and atmospheres of different areas of the home.

People were supported by staff who had the skills and experience to meet their needs. Bespoke staff training was provided to make sure staff could effectively support people with specialist needs, such as people who were living with dementia.

People were happy and relaxed at the home and with staff who supported them. People felt included and said they felt ‘at home.’

People could be assured that at the end of their life they and their families and friends would receive high quality kind and compassionate care. Staff worked with other professionals to enhance their skills in this area and promote comfort and dignity for people.

People felt able to continue to follow their own routines and make choices about all aspects of their day to day lives.

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.

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 the service was good (published 1 November 2019.)

Why we inspected

This inspection was prompted by a review of the information we held about this service and the length of time since the last rating.

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 looking at the key questions of effective, responsive and well led only.

For those key questions not inspected, we used the ratings awarded at the last inspection to calculate the overall rating.

The overall rating for the service has changed from good to outstanding based on the findings of this inspection.

You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Abbeyfield (Somerset) Society on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.

Follow up

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