Hayes Court

Updated 9 January 2018

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection checked whether the provider is meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

This inspection took place on 23 and 24 and November 2017 and was unannounced. The inspection team consisted of 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. The expert by experience's area of expertise was dementia care.

Before the inspection we reviewed the information we held about the service including the Provider Information Return. This is information we require providers to send to us at least once annually to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We also looked at reports from previous inspections and statutory notifications submitted by the provider. Statutory notifications contain information providers are required to send us about significant events that take place within services.

During the inspection, some people were unable to share their experiences with us due to their complex communication needs. In order to understand their experiences of using the service we observed staff carrying out care and support and the way they interacted with people. We spoke with six people using the service, three relatives as well as the provider, the registered manager, deputy manager, the clinical nurse lead, the medicines manager and four care assistants. We also spoke with two health and social care professionals who attended the service on a weekly basis to conduct assessments and care reviews. We looked at seven people’s care records, four staff files, medicines administration records (MAR) for five people and other records relating to the management of the service.

Updated 9 January 2018

We inspected Hayes Court on 23 and 24 November 2017. The inspection was unannounced. Hayes Court is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection. Hayes Court is registered to accommodate up to 56 elderly people. At the time of this inspection 52 people were using the service. Twelve of these people were living at the home on a short-term basis for reablement after a hospital discharge.

We previously inspected Hayes Court in December 2016. At that inspection, we gave the service an overall rating of "Requires Improvement". We found breaches of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014. These were in relation to there being an insufficient number of staff to meet people’s needs, the lack of effective systems to ensure people received their medicines safely, the provider's failure to follow the provisions of the Mental Capacity Act 2005, the lack of person-centred care and the lack of effective systems to assess and monitor the quality of care people received. The provider sent us an action plan setting out when the required improvements would be made. These actions have been completed.

The service had a registered manager. 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 registered manager had many years experience working in adult social care.

Hayes Court is located in a quiet residential road in Kenley. On both days of our inspection, people's rooms and the communal areas were clean and free of unpleasant odours. We have made a recommendation that the provider finds out more about making adaptations, based on current best practice in relation to the specialist needs of people living with dementia.

Staff had received training in infection control. They consistently followed the provider's infection control policies and procedures which helped to protect people from the risk and spread of infection.

People felt safe from abuse living at Hayes Court. Staff had been trained in protecting adults from abuse and had good knowledge of how to recognise abuse and report any concerns. People were protected from avoidable harm because assessments completed by the clinical lead identified the risks each person faced and gave staff guidance on how to manage those risks.

Staff treated people with kindness and respect. They supported people in a way that maintained their privacy and dignity. People enjoyed living in the home and were satisfied with the quality of care they received. People told us the quality of food was good and they had a sufficient amount to eat and drink.

Staff supported people to maintain good health and access external healthcare professionals. The provider had significantly improved the systems in place in relation to storing, recording and administering people's medicines which helped to ensure people received their medicines safely and as prescribed.

The provider had a thorough recruitment process which was adhered to by the management and included conducting appropriate checks on staff before they began to work with people. There were enough staff working at the home with the right mix of skills and experience to meet people's needs. Staff were appropriately supported by the provider to provide effective care through an induction, relevant training, supervision and appraisal.

People were supported by a consistent staff team; many of whom had worked at the service for several years. They knew people well and understood people's routines and preferences. People were given choices and their wishes were listened to and acted on. Every person had an individualised support plan which they and or they relatives had contributed to. Staff supported people in a way and at a pace that suited people.

The provider organised regular activities inside the home and since our last inspection, had increased the opportunities for people to go out on trips or participate in activities outside the home. People were satisfied with the range of activities available to them.

Staff respected people’s individual differences and supported them with any religious or cultural needs. Visitors were made to feel welcome and staff enabled people to maintain relationships with their families and friends.

The provider encouraged people to express their views and acted on their feedback in order to better meet their needs. The provider encouraged people to raise any concerns they had and responded to them in a timely manner. People knew how to make a complaint and told us they would do so if the needs arose. The provider also acted on recommendations from external health and social care professionals to improve people's experience of living at Hayes Court.

There was an established staff structure which staff and people using the service were aware of. This meant that staff understood their roles and responsibilities and people knew how to escalate their concerns. The provider had created a system which allowed for greater staff specialisation and had improved the systems for assessing and monitoring the quality of care people received. The provider's policies and procedures were up do date and regularly reviewed. People's records were securely stored and well organised. The service was well organised and well-led.