Houndswood House Care Home

Updated 19 October 2023

The inspection

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (the Act) as part of our regulatory functions. We checked whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Act. We looked at the overall quality of the service and provided a rating for the service under the Health and Social Care Act 2008.

Inspection team

The inspection was carried out by 2 inspectors and an Expert by Experience. An Expert by Experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of care service.

Service and service type

Houndswood House is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing and/or personal care as a single package under 1 contractual agreement dependent on their registration with us. Houndswood House is a care home with nursing care. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

Registered Manager

This provider is required to have a registered manager to oversee the delivery of regulated activities at this location. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Registered managers and providers are legally responsible for how the service is run, for the quality and safety of the care provided and compliance with regulations.

At the time of our inspection there was a registered manager in post.

Notice of inspection

This inspection was unannounced.

Inspection activity started on 5 September 2023 and ended on 19 September 2023. We visited the location’s service on 5 September 2023 and19 September 2023.

What we did before inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We sought feedback from professionals who work with the service. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return (PIR). This is information providers are required to send us annually with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. We used all this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with 3 people who used the service and 11 relatives about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with 8 members of staff including the registered manager, regional support manager, care staff, activity, and catering staff. We reviewed 4 people's care files and 3 staff personnel files. We also reviewed records relating to managing the service.

Updated 19 October 2023

About the service

Houndswood House Care Home is a residential care home providing personal and nursing care to up to 50 people. The service provides support to older people, some of whom may be living with dementia. At the time of our inspection there were 34 people using the service.

Houndswood House Care Home accommodates people across 2 units, each of which has separate adapted facilities and adjoining communal areas.

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

Risks to people's safety were assessed and monitored and there were systems to safeguard people from the risk of abuse. The service’s infection prevention control measures were effective. People were supported by trained staff to take their medicines. However, we found covert medicines were not managed well; we have made a recommendation related to this.

People were not always supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff did not always support them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service did not support this practice. We have made a recommendation related to this.

Whilst the home was well maintained, the décor was not dementia friendly. We have made a recommendation related to this.

Staff received an induction when starting in their role. Staff were knowledgeable about people’s nutrition/hydration needs and preferences and majority of feedback from people and families was positive about the food.

People and their families felt involved in people’s care.

People’s end of life care plans did not include people’s preferences or religious/spiritual needs. We have made a recommendation related to this. People were supported with activities, and we received positive feedback from people and families on this.

People and relatives spoke positively about the leadership of the service and the care people received from staff. People, relatives and staff felt comfortable raising any concerns and giving feedback. Staff felt supported by their managers and colleagues. The provider had systems to monitor the quality and safety of the service and staff worked effectively with other health professionals to support people's health and wellbeing.

For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk

Rating at last inspection and update

The last rating for this service was requires improvement (published 8 November 2019). The provider completed an action plan after the last inspection to show what they would do and by when to improve. At this inspection we found improvements had been made and the provider was no longer in breach of regulations.

Why we inspected

This inspection was carried out to follow up on action we told the provider to take at the last inspection.

We looked at infection prevention and control measures under the Safe key question. We look at this in all care home inspections even if no concerns or risks have been identified. This is to provide assurance that the service can respond to COVID-19 and other infection outbreaks effectively.

The overall rating for the service has changed from requires improvement to good based on the findings of this inspection.

You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Houndswood House Care Home on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.

Recommendations

We have made recommendations in relation to covert medicines, mental capacity assessments and best interest decisions, dementia-friendly décor and end of life care at this inspection.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.