Homeleigh Residential Care Home

Updated 21 October 2021

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 Care Act 2014.

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 one inspector and a CQC pharmacy inspector who looked at medicine management in the home.

Service and service type

Homeleigh Residential Care Home is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as single package under one contractual agreement. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

The service had a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. This means that they and the provider are legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided.

Notice of inspection

This unannounced inspection took place on 27 July and 4 August 2021.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we had about the service since the last inspection. This included reviewing the provider’s action plan we had asked for following our last inspection and notifications we had received about the service. We used all this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

On the day of our inspection we spoke with three people using the service, the registered manager, deputy manager and two support workers. We reviewed four people’s care plans, staff training matrix, health and safety records, incident and accident records; and other records relating to the management of the service. People living at the home had varying levels of communication and some people were unable to share their views and experiences, so we therefore used our Short Observational Framework for Inspection (SOFI). SOFI is a way of observing care to help us understand the experiences of people who could not talk with us. We spent time observing the support provided to people in communal areas, at meal times and the interactions between people and staff.

After our inspection, we spoke with three relatives to seek their feedback about the service. We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found. We looked at training data and quality assurance records. We spoke with two professionals who regularly visit the service.

Updated 21 October 2021

About the service

Homeleigh Residential Care Home is a small care home that provides accommodation and personal care support for up to five adults with learning disabilities and or autism and who may have enduring mental ill-health. At the time of our inspection five people were using the service.

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

People received their medicines as prescribed. However, there were discrepancies in the records relating how people’s medicines should be given. The medicines audit completed by the registered manager had not picked this up before our inspection.

Risks to people’s physical health and safety were assessed and appropriate actions put in place to mitigate such risks. Safeguarding procedures were followed to protect people from risks of abuse. The physical environment of the home was safe and suitable for people using the service. Health and safety systems were maintained. Records of incidents and accidents were maintained and reviewed by the registered manager.

There were sufficient staff on duty to meet people’s needs and safe recruitment procedures were followed. Staff told us and records showed staff were supported in their roles.

People’s needs were thoroughly assessed in line with recommended guidance. People were supported to eat and drink to meet their nutritional needs. People had access to a range of health and social care professionals to meet their needs.

People were supported to integrate in the home and social inclusion was promoted. The registered manager understood their responsibilities to safeguard people from abuse and had followed the provider’s safeguarding policies and procedures to address any safeguarding concern raised.

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.

Records showed consent was obtained from people and their representative for the care and support they received, where appropriate. Records showed people's legal rights were protected in accordance with the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS).

This service was able to demonstrate how they were meeting the underpinning principles of Right support, right care, right culture. People were supported to be independent as possible and do the things they wanted; and follow their interest. People’s human rights, dignity and privacy was respected. People were involved in the day-to-day decisions about their care and support. People received care tailored to meet their individual needs.

People knew how to make a complaint about the service and told us the registered manager addressed their concerns. The registered manager assessed the quality of the service through audits and checks. The registered manager worked in partnership with other organisation to meet people’s needs and improve the service.

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.

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

Rating at last inspection and update: The last rating for this service was Inadequate (published 31 December 2019) as there were breaches of regulations 9, 11, 12, 13, 16 and 17 and Warning Notices were issued for breaches of 11, 13, 17. The provider completed an action plan after the last inspection to show what they would do and by when to improve.

During this inspection the provider demonstrated that improvements have been made. The service is no longer rated as inadequate overall or in any of the key questions. Therefore, this service is no longer in Special Measures.

Why we inspected

This inspection was carried out to follow up on action we told the provider to take at the last inspection.

You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Homeleigh Residential Care Home on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.

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.