Hall Park Care Home

On this page

• Overview
• Learning culture
• Safe systems, pathways and transitions
• Safeguarding
• Involving people to manage risks
• Safe environments
• Safe and effective staffing
• Infection prevention and control
• Medicines optimisation

Safe – this means we looked for evidence that people were protected from abuse and avoidable harm. At our last inspection we rated this key question requires improvement. At this inspection the rating for this key question has improved to outstanding.

This meant people were protected by a strong and distinctive approach to safeguarding, including positive risk-taking to maximise their control over their lives. People were fully involved, and the provider was open and transparent when things went wrong.

The provider was previously in breach of the legal regulations in relation to safe care and treatment and staffing. Significant improvements were found at this inspection and the provider was no longer in breach of regulations.

This service scored 100 (out of 100) for this area. Find out what we look at when we assess this area and How we calculate these scores.

The management team had a strong proactive and positive culture of safety, based on openness and complete honesty. Staff actively listened to concerns about safety and thoroughly investigated and reported safety events. Lessons were always learnt to continually identify and embed good practice.

The service had a robust approach to continual improvement of care quality. A proactive approach was taken to ensuring learning was taken from events. We saw the management team had implemented reflective practice from coroner inquests into the prevention of future deaths in care homes. For example, staff had completed reflective practice of a choking event at an unrelated care home, to assess how they would have responded and to consider their own practice.

The service had nominated ‘ambassadors’ to ensure people’s views were heard. People had been engaged in discussions around their personal safety and wellbeing, and were encouraged to give feedback where they felt any improvements could be made. We saw the management team had reviewed this feedback to inform and improve their care standards where required. Relatives we spoke with felt confident raising any concerns. One relative told us, “I would absolutely raise any concerns. I speak with the staff regularly, so it’s done as a matter of course. There is always someone available. When my relative told me some information of concern, I did tell a member of staff and this was responded to.”

The service always worked with people and healthcare partners to design, establish and maintain safe systems of care, in which safety was always well managed and monitored. They made sure there was always continuity of care, including when people moved between different services.

People and their relatives were fully involved in planning when moving between different services. People’s strengths and skills were embraced in order to promote their confidence and independence.

We found the service worked collaboratively with external partners to ensure people had a safe admission to the service or when people experienced a hospital admission. People had personalised emergency care plans in place, detailing their clinical needs, medicines, allergies, contact details for people important to them and their communication needs. These documents had been regularly reviewed and updated when a person’s needs had changed. We saw people and their relatives had been involved in giving regular care plan feedback. This gave them the opportunity to ensure they received care and support tailored to them as individuals.

The staff team were encouraged and enabled to liaise with healthcare professionals, social services and commissioners, to support individual people’s transitions. We spoke with a visiting healthcare professional, who gave exceptionally positive feedback regarding the way the service worked with their team. They told us, “This is a home where I can identify something which needs addressing, for example, an equipment need for a person. I can raise this in the morning, and by the time I call back in the afternoon, this has been actioned. The staff team are welcoming, they listen and act on things well.”

The service worked well with people and healthcare partners to fully understand what being safe meant to them and the best way to achieve that. Staff had a clear focus on improving people’s lives while protecting their right to live in safety, free from bullying, harassment, abuse, discrimination, avoidable harm and neglect. The provider always shared concerns quickly and appropriately.

The service was exceptional in involving people to understand their right to live without risk from harm or abuse. People and their relatives were encouraged to speak up, by attending regular resident and relatives’ meetings and via the resident ‘safeguarding ambassador’. People had been offered the opportunity to attend safeguarding of adult’s training, which we saw was well attended. This ensured people were at the front and centre of a positive culture of ensuring safeguarding standards were upheld. One relative we spoke with told us, “My family member is well settled in. They are safe which they weren’t previously at home. They kept falling and then had two hip replacements. I see them regularly and I can see their confidence has grown back. Staff completely have their best interests at heart.”

The management and staff team understood their responsibility to ensure incidents were reported to the local authority and the CQC in a timely manner. The registered manager understood their duty of candour, and we saw letters were always sent to people’s next of kin informing them of any incidents or accidents. Where recommendations had been shared following a safeguarding incident, we saw the management team used a robust process to ensure lessons could be learned from these.

The service always worked well with people to fully understand and manage risks by thinking holistically. Staff provided care that fully met people’s needs and was safe, supportive and enabled people to do the things that mattered to them.

The service supported people to effectively manage known risks. All areas of risks identified for people were clearly assessed and planned for. We found care plans contained best practice guidance for staff to follow.

People and their relatives were supported to be fully engaged and involved as partners in their care. People we spoke with felt confident in directing their own care. One person said, “I am assisted to get up in the morning at the time I choose, and that is what I like. I am supported to go to bed when I ask, there is no time slot.” People were positive about staff responding to their call bells promptly. One person said, “The staff are really good, they come straight along when you use the nurse alarm.”

One relative we spoke with told us, “I was involved in the care plan, which is reviewed regularly as my family members condition has deteriorated, so there have to be changes. I get invited to reviews. My family member has now moved up to the floor for people living with dementia, Memory Lane, to fully support them.” Another relative gave positive feedback, saying, “I was involved in my family members care planning. It represents their current needs. Their mobility levels can change daily, sometimes they need hoisting, sometimes they can help themselves up. Staff support them to get up every day for dinner.”

We saw care plans were exceptionally detailed and personalised, showing people’s abilities and strengths, rather than focussing on what people were unable to do for themselves. A relative told us, “My family member is totally safe. When they lived at home they kept falling and were very unsafe. I know where they are now, they are safe, fed, warm, and checked regularly.”

The management team were fully aware of all potential risks in the care environment and controlled them well. They made sure equipment, facilities and technology supported the delivery of safe care.

The service had been recently refurbished to an exceptionally high standard, following significant investment by the provider. We saw this had created an environment which was a safe, welcoming and inclusive place for people to live. The management team had consulted with people and external partners prior to making these improvements, to ensure they were fully involved, and peoples’ needs could be met. One relative told us, “The refurbishment has made it really homely.” Another relative said, “I would absolutely recommend Hall Park. It was the first home we looked at. The refurbishment has made it homely and comfy. I have no issues at all.”

People we spoke with were all happy with the environment of the service, which had fully considered their needs. Where people required specific equipment to support them, for example, sensor mats to support with falls management, these were in place. One relative told us, “My family member has a call bell and uses it for all sorts of things. They have never complained that they have had to wait.” The service had several quiet lounge areas along with a relaxing garden space for people to receive visitors, when they may not wish to sit in their bedrooms. The entrance to Hall Park was staffed by a friendly, professional team, who offered a warm welcome and refreshments for visitors.

The maintenance team were passionate about maintaining and improving a high-quality environment for people. One member of the maintenance team told us, “The provider has significantly invested in the home, which is brilliant. I dislike some of the waste this created, the throwaway society we are in. So, I have a store of items, which I like to repurpose and reuse where I can. It is so important that people are respected and supported as individuals. I love my job. I love seeing all of the residents here every day.”

We saw the maintenance team had ensured people were fully protected from the risks of fire, legionella and harm from unsafe equipment. The service held regular fire evacuation drills and alarm tests. Signage for fire escape routes was clear and exit routes were clear and well lit. Personal emergency evacuation plans for people were reflective of their needs, regularly reviewed and updated when a person’s needs had changed. The kitchen was managed in a hygienic way to ensure people did not get food borne infections. The most recent rating from the food standards agency was 5 stars on 12 March 2025.

The management team made sure there were always enough qualified, skilled and experienced staff, who received thorough support, supervision and strong development opportunities. They worked together well to provide safe care that met people’s individual needs.

The management and staff team at Hall Park exhibited a high level of knowledge, skills and understanding of people’s individual needs and of ensuring best practice was followed. Staffing levels were sufficient to allow staff to spend meaningful time with people, which led to positive outcomes. Staff showed a genuine understanding of people and were intuitive when identifying people’s needs, rather than being task focussed. One person was described in their care plan as needing support to maintain a good fluid intake due to their clinical diagnosis. We saw a staff member gently encouraging this person, by asking them, “Shall we go to your house and have a cup of tea?” This person was being enabled by the staff member, who showed genuine care and empathy. We saw the person and staff member shortly afterwards sitting in the persons bedroom, enjoying a chat and a drink.

People and their relatives felt the service was sufficiently staffed to ensure their safety. One person said, “There are always staff around to talk to, that has always been the case.” A relative told us, “My family member does have a call bell by their bed and doesn’t have to wait long for it to be answered.” Another relative said, “There are loads of staff, I never have a problem finding staff. I haven’t noticed any difference at weekends either.”

Staff skills and competency were regularly assessed by the management team, to ensure they could meet individual people’s needs. Staff’s skills and experience were effectively matched to the needs of people, to enable people to achieve their aspirations and potential. A visiting health professional we spoke with told us, “The staff here are always willing to learn. They take guidance well and are interested and professionally curious. We have given staff scenarios to help improve their learning. This has been really beneficial. For example, a person was living with a specific injury, requiring a different moving and handling approach. This learning gave staff extra knowledge.”

The management team thoroughly assessed and managed the risk of infection. They always quickly detected and controlled the risk of it spreading and always shared concerns with appropriate agencies promptly.

There were clear processes and policies in place to ensure the environment was kept clean and hygienic. This protected people from the spread of infection. If an infection outbreak occurred (for example diarrhoea and vomiting), there were clear processes in place to reduce the risk of this spreading to other people at the service. The management and staff team followed best practice guidance for the management of any potential outbreaks, which may pose a risk of harm from infection. We saw they worked well with external partners, to ensure the risk of harm to people and staff was minimised.

People were supported to maintain their own personal cleanliness by the staff team. We saw people’s preferences for independence with personal care were respected by the staff team. One relative told us, “I was involved in my family members care plan and I have a copy of it somewhere. They are happy here, and are always beautifully dressed, with their hair always done, I’m happy.”

Staff had received training in infection control, how to put on protective equipment, correct disposal processes and how to keep people safe in the event of an infection outbreak. The service was clean, well maintained and the management team ensured they had full oversight of the housekeeping running records. The experienced housekeeping team spoke with pride of their roles in ensuring the environment was clean and comfortable for people. Any areas which required review were promptly attended to.

Equipment used to support people with pressure relief for good skin management, or moving and handling, was clean, personalised and regularly serviced. Some people had personalised their walking aids, to support with prompting them to use their equipment. Communal bathrooms and en suite shower rooms had wide doorways to provide accessibility for everyone living at Hall Park. This assisted the staff team in providing personal care for people in spaces which had fully considered the needs of all people.

The service always made sure that medicines and treatments were safe and met people’s needs, capacities and preferences. Staff always involved people in planning, including when changes happened.

Staff kept clear records of when they had given prescribed medicines. Medicines were given as prescribed to ensure positive outcomes for people.

People told us they were well supported by staff with their medicines. A relative told us, “[The Senior] looks after the medication. They are all ordered from the same doctor and distributed on time.”

Suitable medicine stock levels were in place, so more could be ordered from the pharmacist as needed. The service had regular support from the providers’ group clinical lead, who worked with staff to support effective medicines management and to give clinical guidance on care planning.

Some people required ‘as needed’ medicines and staff had clear guidance on how these should be administered. One person required a specific medicine when they experienced periods of agitation. Staff had guidance on symptoms the person may show, what dose should be offered, steps to take prior to administering the medicine and the person’s preferred way to receive the medicine. Where people were prescribed medicines to be administered covertly, we saw appropriate decisions were in place. Covert medicines are given when staff administer a person’s medicine without their knowledge or consent, usually by mixing medicine into food or drink.

Staff knew where to report medicine concerns. If they felt a person’s medicine was no longer effective, they documented this and knew who to contact. Where medicines needed to be stored at a certain temperature, this had been done. Staff checked the fridge temperatures regularly to ensure it was working as expected.

Where people were prescribed creams for healthy skin management, there were body maps in place and instructions regarding application sites and frequency.

Staff received training on administering medicines safely. Staff competency was regularly assessed, to ensure best practice was followed.