The Care Quality Commission
  • Care Home
  • Care home

Holicote

Overall: Good read more about inspection ratings

93 Newton Lane, Darlington, County Durham, DL3 9HH (01325) 469707

Provided and run by:
Darlington Borough Council

All Inspections

During an assessment under our new approach

We carried out this assessment on 14 and 26 August 2026. This service was previously rated as good. We carried out this assessment to confirm whether the rating of good remains accurate. This report does not provide detailed information on areas where we found practice continues to meet a good standard. Instead, our findings focus on any areas where the service needs to improve or where we found exceptional practice.

We assessed the service against ‘Right support, right care, right culture’ guidance to make judgements about whether the provider guaranteed autistic people and people with a learning disability respect, equality, dignity, choices, independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted.

People were protected from avoidable harm because staff and the management team understood safeguarding procedures and knew how to recognise and report concerns. Risks to people's health, safety and wellbeing were appropriately assessed and managed.

Safe recruitment practices were followed, medicines were managed safely, and there were sufficient staff available to meet people's needs.

People can only be deprived of their liberty to receive care and treatment with appropriate legal authority. In care homes, this can be done through a procedure called the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS), which is part of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA). We checked whether the service was working within the principles of the MCA and how they managed DoLS within the service. We found that staff were trained in DoLs and management worked within the MCA. DoLS authorisations were appropriately applied for and overseen. People were not subject to unlawful or excessive restrictions and they had choice, control and freedom over their lives.

People's needs were assessed and care was delivered in line with current best practice and guidance. Staff received appropriate training, supervision and support to carry out their roles effectively. People were supported to maintain good health and wellbeing and had access to healthcare services when required.

Staff consistently demonstrated kindness, compassion and respect. People told inspectors they were treated with dignity and their privacy was maintained. Positive relationships had been developed between staff and the people they supported, enabling care to be delivered in a person-centred manner that promoted independence and wellbeing.

Care and support met people's individual needs, preferences and wishes. People's views were sought and acted upon, and care plans reflected their personal circumstances and goals. Relatives and staff felt confident they would be listened to if they raised issues.

The service benefited from strong leadership and a positive culture that placed people at the centre of their care. Governance systems were effective in monitoring quality, safety and performance. Staff felt supported by management and worked collaboratively to continuously improve the service. Feedback from people, relatives and staff was actively sought and used to make continued improvements.

11 September 2019

During a routine inspection

About the service

Holicote is a residential care home providing accommodation and personal care. The home provides respite care to 22 people and accommodates up to 5 people. At the time of our inspection one person with learning disabilities was using the service.

The service has been developed and designed in line with the principles and values that underpin Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. This ensures that people who use the service can live as full a life as possible and achieve the best possible outcomes. The principles reflect the need for people with learning disabilities and/or autism to live meaningful lives that include control, choice, and independence. People using the service receive planned and co-ordinated person-centred support that is appropriate and inclusive for them.

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

We received positive feedback from people, they told us they were happy living at Holicote. They told us they enjoyed going out with their staff and spending time with them at Holicote.

People received person-centred support and staff knew people very well. Care plans were in place, but some areas needed more information. We have made a recommendation that the care plans were improved. To include positive behaviour plans to support people who need them.

People were supported to build and maintain important personal relationships that mattered to them, with both their partners, peers and relatives.

There were systems in place for communicating with staff, people and their relatives to ensure they were fully informed this was via team meetings, phone calls and emails. People had good links to the local community through regular access to local services.

People were supported to be independent, their rights were respected and access to advocacy was available if required. Support was provided in a way that put the people and their preferences first. Information was readily available for people in the correct format for them, including easy read.

The environment was very clean and homely soft furnishings were personalised in people’s bedrooms and people chose what room they preferred to use in when they were staying.

Audits and monitoring systems were used effectively to manage the service and to make improvements as and when required.

Medicines were managed well, safely administered and recorded accurately.

There were enough staff to support people and staff were always visible. Staff received support and a variety of appropriate training to meet people’s needs.

Individualised risk assessments were in place. Staff were confident they would raise concerns to safeguard people. Robust recruitment and selection procedures ensured suitable staff were employed.

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.

Appropriate healthcare professionals were included in people’s care and support as and when this was needed. People were supported to have enough to eat and drink also people who need specialist diets were supported.

The service applied the principles and values of Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. These ensure that people who use the service can live as full a life as possible and achieve the best possible outcomes.

The outcomes for people using the service reflected the principles and values of Registering the Right Support by promoting choice and control, independence and inclusion. People's support focused on them having as many opportunities as possible for them to gain new skills and become more independent.

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 good (published 7 March 2017).

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.

31 January 2017

During a routine inspection

This inspection took place on 31 January and 3 February 2017 and was announced. We gave the registered provider two hours’ notice to ensure someone would be available at the service.

Holicote provides respite care for adults from the Darlington borough who have a learning disability and some may also have physical disabilities.

The service had a registered manager in place. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) 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.

We last inspected the service in August 2015 and rated the service as ‘Good.’ At this inspection we found the service remained ‘Good’ and met all the fundamental standards we inspected against.

Staffing was provided at safe levels and any staff absences were covered by the registered provider’s own permanent and bank staff.

Accidents and incidents had been appropriately recorded and risk assessments were in place for people who used the service and staff.

We found that safe recruitment and selection procedures were in place and appropriate checks had been undertaken before staff began work. This included obtaining references from previous employers to show staff employed were safe to work with vulnerable people.

One person and carers we spoke with told us they felt safe at Holicote. Staff were aware of procedures to follow if they observed any concerns.

Appropriate systems were in place for the management of medicines so that people received their medicines safely. Medicines were stored in a safe manner.

Staff were suitably trained and training was arranged for any due refresher training. Staff received regular supervisions and appraisals.

The registered provider was working within the principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA).

People were protected from the risk of poor nutrition and staff were aware of people’s nutritional needs. Care records contained evidence of visits to and from external health care specialists.

One person who used the service and family members were complimentary about the standard of care provided by the staff at Holicote.

Care records showed that people’s needs were assessed before they started using the service, they were supported to transition to the service at their own pace and care plans were written in a person centred way.

Staff supported people who used the service with their social needs. We observed that all staff were very caring in their interactions with people at the service. People clearly felt very comfortable with staff members and there was a warm and positive atmosphere in the service and people were very relaxed. We saw people being treated with dignity and respect and relatives and people told us that staff were kind and professional.

People who used the service and family members were aware of how to make a complaint.

Staff felt supported by the registered manager and home manager and were comfortable raising any concerns. People who used the service, family members and staff were regularly consulted about the quality of the service.

The service had a comprehensive range of audits in place to check the quality and safety of the service and equipment at Holicote and actions plans and lessons learnt were part of their on-going quality review of the service.

10 August 2015

During an inspection looking at part of the service

At the last unannounced, comprehensive inspection on 15 December 2014, we identified breaches of the Care Quality Commission Registration Regulations 2009. We asked the registered provider to take action to make improvements. We asked the registered provider to ensure they were preventing the risk of cross infection by having the appropriate equipment and policies in place. We asked the registered provider to ensure they had up to date policies in place for staff to follow. We asked the registered provider to improve their quality assurance process and management visits. We also asked the provider to deliver staff training on the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards process and Mental Capacity Act.

The registered provider wrote to us to say what they would do to meet legal requirements in relation to these breaches.

We undertook this focussed inspection to check that the registered provider had followed their plan and to confirm that they now met legal requirements. This report only covers our findings in relation to the previously identified breaches of regulation.

We inspected Holicote on10 August 2015. This was an unannounced inspection which meant that the staff and registered provider did not know that we would be visiting. This was a follow up visit to our inspection on 15 December 2014.

Holicote is registered to provide accommodation for people who require nursing or personal care. The service provides respite care for up to five people with a learning disability who live in the Darlington area. The service is situated in the local community and is part of a housing complex.

The service had a registered manager in place. 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.

At the last inspection we saw that there was no guidance in place for “as required” medicines and we requested that this be put in place as soon as possible to ensure these medicines were administered safely. We saw on this visit the recording of medicines had improved with “as required” protocol’s now in place for each person along with their photograph and other important information such as allergies and their GP contact details. This meant staff had clear and consistent guidance on the use of medicines for people.

At our last inspection we saw appropriate policies and procedures were not in place for the management of infection control. The service did not have an infection control policy, and Measures were not in place to reduce the risks of contamination by safe methods of transporting contaminated items. We saw on this visit the service had immediately sought the appropriate equipment for moving soiled linen and a new policy was put in place. This meant that staff had the equipment, knowledge and support to minimise the risk of cross infection at the service.

On our previous visit in December 2014, concerns were raised by a staff member about the quality of cleaning at the service. With additional training, support, new policies and procedures and new equipment we saw and was told that the cleanliness of the service had much improved.

On our last visit we found that staff did not all understand about the Mental Capacity Act (MCA) 2005 and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS). We were told that all staff had received training from the local authority’s lead person for the MCA and DoLS processes.

At our last visit we found not all policies that were needed were in place at the service. There was no infection control policy or Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards policy. This meant staff could not be expected to follow correct and safe procedures if guidance was not in place for them to access. On this visit we saw new policies were in place and the service had taken measures to ensure staff had read and understood them. The service had also implemented a more robust monthly registered manager’s audit that took a wider view of quality at the service.

15 December 2014

During a routine inspection

We inspected Holicote on 15 December 2014. This was an unannounced inspection which meant that the staff and provider did not know that we would be visiting.

Holicote is registered to provide accommodation for people who require nursing or personal care. The service provides respite care for up to five people with a learning disability who live in the Darlington area. The home is situated in the local community and is part of a housing complex. On the day of the inspection there were four people who were using the service.

The home had a registered manager in place. 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.

Staff were trained and understood the principles and processes of safeguarding.

We found people were cared for by sufficient numbers of suitably qualified, skilled and experienced staff. Robust recruitment and selection procedures were in place and appropriate checks had been undertaken before staff began work. This included obtaining references from previous employers.

Appropriate systems were in place for the management of medicines so that people received their medicines safely.

People using the service and staff were not protected against the risk of exposure to a health care associated infection. This was a breach of Regulation 12 (Cleanliness and infection control); of The Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2010.

Appropriate policies and procedures were not in place for the management of infection control. The home did not have an infection control policy, and measures were not in place to reduce the risks of contamination by safe methods of transporting contaminated items. Although the home had domestic staff in post there was issues raised by all care staff members we spoke with about the quality of their work. The registered manager agreed to address all these issues and following the inspection provided CQC with an action plan to remedy these areas.

There were positive interactions between people and staff. We saw that staff were kind and respectful. Staff were aware of how to respect people’s privacy and dignity. It was evident staff knew people who they supported and cared for well. Relatives and carers told us that they were happy with the care and service provided.

The registered manager had been trained in the Mental Capacity Act (MCA) 2005 and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS). The registered manager understood when an application should be made, and how to submit one although talking to staff they said they weren’t always sure what the process involved.

We saw people were provided with a choice of healthy food and drinks which helped to ensure their nutritional needs were met. People were also supported to use equipment they may need to maintain their independence whilst staying at the service such as adapted plates and cutlery.

People were supported to maintain good health and had access to healthcare professionals and services. Staff were aware of processes to follow should someone using the service become unwell.

People’s needs were assessed and care and support was planned and delivered in line with their individual care needs. The care plans contained a good level of information and set out how each person should be supported to ensure their needs were met. We found risk assessments were sufficiently detailed and had been updated using a red, amber, green system that was easy and clear for staff to follow.

We saw people were involved in a wide range of activities whilst staying at the service. We saw staff engaged and interacted positively with people. We saw people were encouraged and supported to take part in activities.

Appropriate systems were in place for the management of complaints. Relatives told us the service manager and staff were approachable. Relatives we spoke with did not raise any complaints or concerns about the service.

There were effective systems in place to monitor and improve the quality of the service provided. Not all policies that were needed were in place at the service. There was no infection control policy or Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards policy. This meant staff could not be expected to follow correct and safe procedures if guidance was not in place for them to access. The service manager told us they were working through current policies to update them and to make them more relevant to the service provided.

Staff told us the management were approachable but it was apparent from issues such as the cleaning and recent emergency admissions that although management were aware of staff feelings, perhaps they had not acted quickly enough to allay staff concerns in these areas.

1 October 2013

During a routine inspection

We spoke with one person who was the only person in receipt of care and support at Holicote at the time. The two staff members on duty had a positive attitude and we saw good interaction with the person being supported to undertake various activities such as going out for a walk. Staff told us they received training and supervision on a regular basis.

There were systems in place for checking the safety and quality of the service and we saw that staff members had a good knowledge of infection control procedures. We saw the environment whilst still being homely, had equipment available to reduce the risks from poor infection control.

Menus were planned in advance and we saw that photographs were used to show people the choices of meal available. Staff had training in food handling and hygiene duties.

Records were held securely and we advised the members of staff on duty to ensure fire record checks continued to be recorded by the home and that some records such as cleaning checks were implemented and that some people's care files needed review.

30 July 2012

During a routine inspection

We were unable to speak to people using the service at the time of the visit as there was one person staying at the home who was out doing activities at the time. However we gathered evidence of people's experiences of the service by reviewing the care records and speaking to staff.