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  • Care home

Archived: Highfield Residential Home

Overall: Good read more about inspection ratings

51 Alpha Road, Birchington, Kent, CT7 9EG (01843) 842116

Provided and run by:
Mr & Mrs E L K Eckersley

Important: The provider of this service changed. See new profile

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Background to this inspection

Updated 31 January 2017

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 7 October 2016 and was unannounced. It was carried out by one inspector.

Before the inspection, we reviewed the completed Provider Information Return (PIR) which the provider had sent to us. The PIR is a form that asks the provider to give some key information about the service such as, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We also reviewed the service’s previous inspection report and information we held including notifications. A notification is information about important events which the provider is required to send us by law.

During the inspection, we spoke with five people, two relatives, three care staff, one of the cooks, a visiting professional and the two deputy managers to gather feedback on the quality of the service. After the inspection we spoke with the registered manager.

We looked at the care records and risk assessments of two people, and we checked medicines and medicines administration records (MAR) of three people to understand how their care was managed. We also looked at three staff records to review the provider’s recruitment, supervision and training processes, and reviewed how the quality of the service including complaints were monitored and managed. We also observed how people were cared for by staff in communal areas of the home.

Overall inspection

Good

Updated 31 January 2017

This inspection took place on 7 October 2016 and was unannounced. We last inspected this service on 14 and 22 May 2014, and found that they needed to take action to improve the care and welfare of people who used services and the management of records. These previous shortfalls had been addressed.

Highfield Residential Home provides care and accommodation for up to 23 older people, some of whom live with physical disabilities and dementia. At the time of our inspection there were 21 people using the service, with one person in hospital.

There was a registered manager in post. 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.

There were enough staff to meet peoples' needs. Staff had a good understanding of their roles and responsibilities to safeguard people, and to provide care that was person-centred. Staff were recruited safely and were trained and supported by the managers.

People’s care needs had been identified and appropriate care plans put in place to meet these needs in a way that was consistent. People’s care plans were detailed, up to date and followed by staff . Risks to people’s health and well-being had been assessed and management plans that took account of people’s views and choices. Staff were aware of the risk assessments and supported people accordingly. People’s medicines were managed and stored appropriately, and staff supported people to access healthcare services when required.

People were supported by staff that were friendly, kind and caring. They had their privacy, dignity and choices respected by staff who sought their consent before providing any care. The requirements of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 were met. People told us the meals provided were tasty and they had the support they needed to remain healthy and well.

The provider had a quality assurance system in place, and people, their relatives and staff commented positively about the management team. We did not meet with the registered manager during our inspection because they were on leave. However, the two deputy managers who supported the registered manager were knowledgeable and clear in their role and responsibilities. There were policies and procedures in place to effectively manage complaints, concerns and the quality of the service.