Archived: Hunters Green Care home

Updated 14 April 2015

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, 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 6 and 7 January 2015 and was unannounced. An adult social care inspector carried out this inspection.

Before the visit, the provider completed a Provider Information Return (PIR). This is a form that asks the provider to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We also reviewed previous inspection reports, notifications and enquiries we had received. Services tell us about important events relating to the service they provide using a notification. The local authority also shared a quality assurance visit report completed in November 2014.

During our visits we spoke with the registered manager and four members of staff and a GP who visited the home. We spent time observing the care and interactions between staff and people living at the home. We looked at three support plans, two staff recruitment records, staff training records and a selection of quality monitoring documents. Following the visit we received feedback from two relatives and a social worker.

Updated 14 April 2015

This inspection took place on 6 and 7 January 2015 and was unannounced. Hunters Green Care Home provides accommodation and personal care for four adults with a learning disability or an autistic spectrum condition. Both younger and older adults use the service. Some people were new to the service whilst others had been there for a number of years. The four people living at the home had a range of support needs including help with communication, personal care, moving about and support if they became confused or anxious. Staff support was provided at the home at all times and people required the support of one or more staff away from the home.

There was a registered manager in post. 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 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

We found four breaches of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014. The evidence was gathered prior to 1 April 2015 when the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2010 were in force.

People had decisions made on their behalf that were not fully documented or regularly reviewed to make sure their changing needs and circumstances were addressed. People received the medicines they needed but the recording and storage of medicines did not always comply with best practice. People’s immediate health needs were responded to but records kept to help staff manage their ongoing health needs were not being regularly updated. Quality audits had not identified all of the problems within the service and action was not always taken to quickly to address issues identified. You can see what action we told the provider to take at the back of the full version of this report.

People were supported by a caring staff team who knew them well and treated them as individuals. For example, the ways each person communicated their needs and preferences were understood by staff. People were encouraged to make choices and be as independent as possible. In order to achieve this, a balance was struck between keeping people safe and supporting them to take risks and develop their independence. One relative said, “Staff are all really kind” and “I couldn’t wish for [name] to be in a better place”.

People had not yet been supported to identify goals they wanted to work towards but they were supported to stay active at home and in the community. Where possible, staff offered activities they knew matched the person’s individual preferences and interests.

Staff felt well supported and had the training they needed to provide personalised support to each person. Staff were now meeting with their line manager to discuss their development needs and action was taken when concerns were raised. Learning took place following any incidents to prevent them happening again. Staff understood what they needed to do if they had concerns about the way a person was being treated. Staff were prepared to challenge and address poor care to keep people safe and happy.