Hillcrest

Hillcrest provides nursing and personal care for up to 52 older people. There were 45 people living at the home at the time of the inspection, some of whom had a dementia related condition. Accommodation was spread over two floors. People who had a dementia related condition lived on the ground floor unit.

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

People told us they were happy. They said they would recommend the home because of the staff whom they described as, “very caring” and “really, really good.”

There were systems and procedures in place to help keep people safe. One person said, “I trust everybody.” Medicines were managed safely. There were sufficient staff deployed. Staff appeared busier in the nursing unit. The registered manager introduced a new system at the time of the inspection to promote organisation and communication in the nursing unit.

Risks were assessed and monitored. There was a positive approach to safety and risk which was not restrictive for people. Checks were carried out to make sure the building and equipment were safe. The premises had been redecorated and refurbished and met people’s needs.

People were supported by staff who were trained to meet their needs. People’s eating and drinking needs were met. The menus were being reviewed to make sure they met people’s dietary preferences.

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.

People had a care plan which guided staff on how to deliver person centred care. People’s social needs were met. There was an activities programme in place.

There was a positive atmosphere at the home, staff told us they enjoyed working there and felt valued by the registered manager and provider. We observed this positivity was reflected in the care and support which staff provided. Audits and checks were carried out to monitor the quality and safety of the service.

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 (published 30 November 2018). Since this rating was awarded the registered provider of the service has changed. We have used the previous rating to inform our planning and decisions about the rating at this inspection.

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.