Hollie Hill Care Home

Updated 7 July 2022

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection was planned to check whether the provider is meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008.

As part of CQC’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic we are looking at how services manage infection control and visiting arrangements. This was a targeted inspection looking at the infection prevention and control measures the provider had in place. We also asked the provider about any staffing pressures the service was experiencing and whether this was having an impact on the service.

This inspection took place on 23 June 2022 and was unannounced.

Updated 7 July 2022

Hollie Hill is a care home which provides residential and nursing accommodation for up to 61 people. The home is arranged across two floors and divided into four areas. People with nursing needs are accommodated on the ground floor. Five bedrooms were contracted by the local Clinical Commissioning Group for people who need additional support following their discharge from hospital before they return home or decisions are made about their future care needs. At the time of our inspection there were 56 people using the service

At our last inspection in February 2017 we rated the service as good overall. We found a breach of Regulation 12; this was regarding the application of people’s topical medicine (creams applied to the skin). At this inspection we found the evidence continued to support the overall rating of good. Improvements had been made in respect of people’s topical medicines and there was no evidence or information from our inspection and ongoing monitoring that demonstrated serious risks or concerns. This inspection report is written in a shorter format because our overall rating of the service has not changed since our last inspection.

People were cared for in a safe environment. Regular checks were undertaken to ensure fire safety systems in the home were working. Health and safety audits were also carried out.

Staff had training in safeguarding and told us they felt able to raise any safeguarding concerns about people in their care.

People and their relatives had different view about the staffing levels. The manager was using a dependency tool and had increased the staff levels in one area of the home. At the time of our inspection there were sufficient staff on duty to meet people’s needs.

Individual and personal risks to people using the service were identified and actions had been put in place to mitigate them.

The provider carried out appropriate checks on staff before they began working in the home. Staff were then supported to carry out their respective roles through induction, training and supervision.

Before people came to live at Hollie Hill staff carried out an assessment of their needs. Care plans to give guidance to staff on how to care for people were compiled which reflected their personal needs and preferences. These were regularly reviewed and updated if a person’s needs changed. The service worked in partnership with other professionals to meet people’s needs. Their advice was incorporated into people’s care plans.

Kitchen staff were aware of people’s dietary needs. They provided fortified food to prevent people from losing weight. Staff had involved dietitians to assess people’s needs and suitable diets were provided.

There was a regular activities programme displayed throughout the home interspersed with events and other individual activities. People were engaged with the programme and chose what they wanted to do.

Care was provided by staff who were kind and patient with people. Staff knew people’s backgrounds and engaged them in meaningful conversations. We found staff delivered people’s personal care behind closed doors to protect their dignity and privacy.

People knew there was a complaints policy in the home. The registered manager had responded to the complaints and provided an outcome for the complainant. During our inspection the registered manager took seriously concerns raised with her and sought to immediately resolve them.

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

Effective systems were in place to monitor the service. Actions were identified to improve the service using audits by the regional manager and the registered manager. The registered manager had an overall plan in place to make improvements which they monitored on a regular basis.

The registered manager held regular residents and relative’s meeting to engage people in the service.

Further information is in the detailed findings below