We carried out a review of the data available to us about Hobbits Holt on 6 July 2023. We have not found evidence that we need to carry out an inspection or reassess our rating at this stage.
This could change at any time if we receive new information. We will continue to monitor data about this service.
If you have concerns about Hobbits Holt, you can give feedback on this service.
Hobbits Holt is a care home operated by Parkcare Homes (No.2.) Limited. The service provides support, personal care and accommodation for up to seven people. It provides care to adults living with a learning disability, autism and behaviours that may challenge.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
Since our last inspection the provider had arranged training for staff that met the needs of people using the service. This included medicine training and safeguarding training. Staff competency had been routinely assessed by managers, which helped to ensure staff were safe to work with people. People were protected from abuse and harassment and received appropriate support to take their medicines safely as and when required.
The ethos and culture of the service centred on people. People were at the heart of the service and their involvement and feedback was valued by the provider. Staff were responsive to people's needs and went out of their way to ensure people lived a fulfilled life. Their patience and dedication assisted people to reach their potential. Staff consistently provided a service which had been tailored to meet the needs of individuals.
The provider had ensured there was effective oversight and governance of the service. The managers of the service worked alongside staff to ensure that any issues were managed and priorities in relation to the quality of support were identified and acted upon promptly.
People's independence was respected and promoted and the support provided to people focused on them having opportunities to develop and maintain relationships. People received a consistent level of care from a team of care staff. There were enough staff employed to meet people's needs.
Staff communicated with people effectively to ascertain and respect their wishes. People could decide how and when their care was provided. Safe recruitment practices were followed to protect people from unsuitable staff.
People received care and support that was person-centred and individualised. People's communication needs were identified, recorded and highlighted in care plans. People had access to documents in large fonts and there was extensive use of pictures and symbols throughout the records we reviewed.
People were supported to access other health services when needed. People's care plans provided staff with information about people's preferences and ways in which staff could support people emotionally and with the activities they enjoyed. Staff were very responsive to people and their ongoing health needs.
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.
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 that include control, choice and independence. 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.
Rating at last inspection
The last rating for this service was Good (published 29 December 2016). We rated the key question “Is the service effective?” as Requires Improvement as we had identified that not all staff had received regular formal supervisions meetings to discuss their personal development and any concerns. At this inspection we found the provider had completed their planned improvements.
Why we inspected
This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating. At this inspection we found that the service was “Good” in all areas.
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.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk
Hobbits Holt is set in a quiet residential area. It had two lounges and a kitchen/dining room area, and seven bedrooms set across two floors. People could freely move around the home and had access to a secure and private back garden.
A new manager had been appointed. They were in process of applying to be the registered manager which is required by the homes conditions of registration. 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.
People who lived at Hobbits Holt required various levels of support. Some people were independent in their personal care, managing their medicines and activities in the community, whilst others needed full support from staff.
People felt safe living at the home. They were treated with kindness and compassion in their day-to-day care. Relatives complimented the caring nature and approach of staff. Staff were knowledgeable about people’s risks and were aware of their responsibilities to report any accident, incidents or safeguarding concerns. They showed concern for people’s wellbeing in a caring and meaningful way and responded to their needs quickly.
People were encouraged to explore new opportunities and enjoy a variety of activities in the home and community. People enjoyed planning and going on holiday together with the support of staff. There were adequate numbers of staff to respond to people’s needs. Staff employment and criminal backgrounds had been suitably checked before they were allowed to work with people. Staff told us they felt trained and supported to carry out their role effectively, however not all staff had received private supervision meetings in line with the provider’s policy. Observations of staff knowledge and competencies had not always been recorded.
People’s had been involved in planning their support needs. Staff were in the progress of updating everyone’s care plans with them to ensure their care plans reflected their needs. Staff understood the importance in providing choices to people and acting in people’s best interests. However people’s mental capacity assessments had not always been reviewed to reflect people’s needs. We were told this would be addressed when people’s care plans were updated.
People enjoyed a varied and healthy diet. They were encouraged to contribute towards the planning, shopping and preparation of their meals. People’s care records showed relevant health and social care professionals were involved with people’s care. Effective systems were in place to ensure that people received their prescribed medicines on time.
People’s day to day concerns and issues were addressed immediately. Relatives felt confident in the management and the running of the home. The managers and provider monitored the quality of the service provided by carrying our regular checks.
People met regularly with a staff member who worked closely with them to review their care. One person said, 'You put your point, what you think and what you want to do'. Another said, 'Staff listen to me'.
Staff worked effectively in cooperation with a range of other providers. This included support given to one person during a recent medical emergency and during their subsequent hospital stay and recovery.
Appropriate arrangements were in place in relation to the recording and storage of medicine. When people were able, they were supported by staff to become more independent in managing their medicines. One person told us they were quite happy about this and said, 'They are always here to check'.
Staff received appropriate training and supervision. A staff member said, I'm very lucky to work in a place like this, I absolutely love my job'. Staff felt supported and were confident that any concerns would be dealt with effectively by the manager.
In this report the name of a manager appears who was not managing this location at the time of the inspection. We have advised the provider of what they need to do to remove the individual's name from our register.
Staff that we spoke to told us they were happy in their roles. One told us "I love working here". One member of staff said " I was impressed by the amount of training we had before they let us loose. I felt invested in as a new member of staff".