HF Trust - Phillippines Close

Updated 6 April 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

This inspection was carried out by an inspector 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

HF Trust - Phillippines Close 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. HF Trust - Phillippines Close 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.

Inspection activity started on 13 March 2023 and ended on 17 March 2023. We visited the location’s office/service on 13 March 2023.

What we did before the inspection

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 reviewed feedback we had received about the service. We used all this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with 3 people who used the service and 10 relatives about their experience of the care provided. We met with the registered manager, deputy manager, spoke with 4 care workers. We looked at written records, which included 4 people's care records and 3 staff files. A variety of records relating to the management of the service were reviewed.

Updated 6 April 2023

About the service

HF Trust - Philippines Close is a residential care home providing personal care to people with a learning disability and/or autism. Some people were also living with physical disabilities. The service can support up to 16 people in two separate houses, each of which has separate facilities and is set on a site which is shared with a day service, offices and supported living accommodation owned by the same provider. On the day of our inspection, there were 14 people living at the service, eight people in one house and six in the other.

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

People told us they felt safe at the service, relatives were happy their loved ones were being cared for in a safe way. Staff knew how to recognise signs of abuse and knew where to report them if they had concerns. The registered manager knew their responsibilities and had reported concerns to the local authority safeguarding team.

Risk assessments were in place for people and their specific health needs. Staff were able to tell us about individual risks and how to manage them. Environmental risks were well managed in order to keep people safe. Infection control was well managed, the home was clean and free from odour. Policies in place protected people and visitors.

Staff were recruited safely and there were enough staff to meet peoples needs. Staff had completed a variety of training and relatives felt staff were well trained. Staff had regular support through supervisions and completed an induction when starting at the service.

Staff worked with other agencies and healthcare professionals to provide effective and timely care. They shared with us good examples of how working with the learning disabilities team improved people’s lives. Calls were made to the GP and 111 where necessary and advice was listened too.

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.

We expect health and social care providers to guarantee people with a learning disability and autistic people respect, equality, dignity, choices and independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted. ‘Right support, right care, right culture’ is the guidance CQC follows to make assessments and judgements about services supporting people with a learning disability and autistic people and providers must have regard to it.

Right Support:

The model of care was not in keeping with the principle of right support. The service was laid out across multiple buildings, in a campus-based set up. However, the registered manager had used this to their advantage and ensured people had control and independence. People were encouraged to walk into the local town and one person done this alone daily. Where people enjoyed public transport, they were taken regularly on buses and trains to various locations. Daily support was giving to people to attend the day centre and local groups with their house vehicle.

Individual choices were considered when outings occurred dependent on what people wanted to do. Where a person required wheelchair support and blended food. They were supported to still attend the group bowling, by arranging special transport and taking a blender along so the person did not miss out. The registered manager recognised the model of care was not right but used it to their advantage by having joint events, making the bungalows more unified. People often visited each other, and it was a community.

Right Care:

Care was person-centred and promotes people’s dignity, privacy and human rights.

People and their relatives were positive about the food they were provided. People were encouraged to choose their own menu each month and assisted the staff in cooking their meals. We observed people enjoying their meals with staff and where modified diets were in place, they were being followed.

Right Culture:

The newly appointed registered manager had worked hard to create a positive culture within the service. Staff felt confident in the new manager and felt positive about the changes that were occurring. The ethos, values, attitudes and behaviours of leaders and care staff ensure people using services lead confident, inclusive and empowered lives.

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 requires improvement.

At this inspection we found improvements had been made and the provider was no longer in breach of regulations.

At our last inspection we recommended that the service used relevant guidance and tools to support people’s pressure care. We also recommended they seek guidance from a reputable source regarding the right support, right care, right culture guidance. At this inspection we found improvements had been made. The service was now using appropriate tools to assist with managing pressure care and where possible ensured guidance was followed for right support, right care, right culture.

Why we inspected

We carried out an unannounced focused inspection of this service on 6 July 2021. A breach of legal requirements was found. The provider completed an action plan after the last inspection to show what they would do and by when to improve good governance.

We undertook this focused inspection to check they had followed their action plan and to confirm they now met legal requirements. This report only covers our findings in relation to the Key Questions Safe, Effective and Well-led which contain those requirements.

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.

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

You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for HF Trust - Phillippines Close 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.