We carried out a review of the data available to us about Hilltop House on 6 July 2023. We have not found evidence that we need to carry out an inspection or reassess our rating at this stage.
This could change at any time if we receive new information. We will continue to monitor data about this service.
If you have concerns about Hilltop House, you can give feedback on this service.
Hilltop House is a care home registered to provide care for up to eight people living with mental health needs. Some of whom are older adults. The home is a large building situated within a row of houses on a residential housing estate on the outskirts of Twyford in Berkshire. At the time of inspection seven people were living in the home.
People’s experience of using this service
People consistently told us they felt safe living in the home. Staff had completed required training and understood their responsibilities to safeguard people from discrimination, harm and abuse. Staff had identified risks to people and effectively implemented measures to ensure these were reduced and managed safely. People were supported by enough staff who knew them well and how to meet their changing needs. The provider completed thorough selection procedures to ensure staff were of suitable character to support people with mental health needs. People received their prescribed medicines safely, from staff who had completed the required training and had their competency to do so regularly assessed. People lived in a home which was clean, hygienic and well maintained.
People's needs were met by staff who had the necessary skills and knowledge to carry out their duties effectively . The registered manager operated a system of training, supervision, appraisal and competency assessments, which enabled staff to provide good quality care. Staff promoted people's health by supporting people to access health care services when required and by encouraging people to eat a healthy diet.
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.
Staff involved people and their relatives where appropriate, in decisions about their care, so that their human and legal rights were upheld. Staff consistently treated people with kindness and compassion. People were supported to express their views and wishes about their needs, which were respected by staff. People's privacy and dignity were promoted by staff during the delivery of their care.
People experienced person-centred care which placed them at the heart of the service. Staff felt valued and respected by the registered manager and staff who had created a true sense of family within the service. Staff were passionate about people living in the home and continuously strove to achieve positive outcomes for them. People were supported to follow their interests and take part in activities that were socially and culturally relevant to them. People and their relatives knew how to complain and were confident the registered manager and staff would listen and take appropriate action if they raised concerns. People’s mental health needs had been sensitively considered when exploring their end of life wishes.
The registered manager effectively operated quality assurance and governance systems to drive continuous improvement in the service. Staff worked well in collaboration with key organisations to ensure the safe and effective delivery of people’s care.
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 June 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.
Hilltop House is a care home which is registered to provide care (without nursing) for up to eight people with mental health needs some of whom are older adults. The home is a large building situated within a row of houses on a residential housing estate on the outskirts of Twyford in Berkshire. It is located near to local amenities and public transport. There were seven people living in the home at the time of the inspection.
There was a registered manager for the service. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission 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 recruitment and selection process ensured people were supported by staff of good character. There was a sufficient amount of qualified and trained staff to meet people’s needs safely. Staff knew how to recognise and report any concerns they had about the care and welfare of people to protect them from abuse.
People were provided with effective care from a core of dedicated staff who had received support through supervision, occasional staff meetings and training. People’s care plans detailed how they wanted their needs to be met. Risk assessments identified risks associated with general, personal and specific behavioural and/or health related issues. They generally helped to promote people’s independence whilst minimising the risks. Staff treated people with kindness and respect and had some contact with people’s families, where appropriate and possible to make sure they were informed about the care and support their relative received.
The service had taken the necessary action to ensure they were working in a way which recognised and maintained people’s rights. They understood the relevance of the Mental Capacity Act 2005, Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) and consent issues which related to the people in their care.
Staff were supported to receive the training and development they needed to care for and support people’s individual needs. People received good quality care. The provider had taken some steps to periodically assess and monitor the quality of service that people received. Quality was monitored through general oversight, care reviews and feedback from people and their representatives.