Whiteheather

Updated 30 April 2022

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 Care Act 2014.

As part of this inspection we looked at the infection control and prevention measures in place. This was conducted so we can understand the preparedness of the service in preventing or managing an infection outbreak, and to identify good practice we can share with other services.

Inspection team

Two inspectors carried out the inspection.

Service and service type

Whiteheather is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection

The service had a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. This means that they and the provider are legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided.

Notice of inspection

The first visit to the service was unannounced. We gave the service notice when we visited for the second time.

What we did before inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service, including feedback from the local authority and professionals who work with the service. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return. This is information providers are required to send us with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make.

This information helps support our inspections. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.

The inspection

We visited the service twice, once in the evening, followed by a daytime visit. The registered manager was on leave during these visits, so we arranged a video call with them on their return. In their absence we met with the operations manager and regional director who supported the acting team leader through the inspection.

We met with the five people who lived at Whiteheather. Where people were unable to talk with us, we used observation to help us understand their experience of using the service. We had contact with seven members of care staff.

We reviewed a range of records. This included three people’s care records and medication records. We looked at three staff files in relation to recruitment and staff supervision. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures were reviewed.

We had contact with two family members for their feedback about the service. We had feedback about the service from two professionals.

The registered manager and provider sent us information as requested after our visit to the service.

Updated 30 April 2022

About the service

Whiteheather is a residential care home that provides accommodation and personal care for up to five people with a learning disability or who are autistic. At the time of this inspection there were five people using the service.

We expect health and social care providers to guarantee people with a learning disability and autistic people respect, equality, dignity, choices and independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted. ‘Right support, right care, right culture’ is the guidance CQC follows to make assessments and judgements about services supporting people with a learning disability and autistic people and providers must have regard to it.

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

Right Support

• Staff supported people to take part in activities and pursue their interests. Activities and relationships had been disrupted during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, staff were committed to supporting people to regain their confidence and interests. We made a recommendation around developing staff skills to enable them to support people to engage in activities in line with their individual needs.

• The registered manager promoted an ethos where staff supported people to have the maximum possible choice, control and independence. We made a recommendation about developing staff skills in this area.

• The service worked with people to plan for when they experienced periods of distress so that any restrictions on people’s freedom were minimised.

• Staff supported people to make decisions following best practice in decision-making. The registered manager was improving the way decision-making was recorded.

• Staff supported people with their medicines in a way that promoted their independence and achieved the best possible health outcomes. The registered manager and staff worked well to ensure people who became distressed were not controlled by excessive and inappropriate use of medicines.

• The service gave people care and support in a safe, clean, well equipped, well-furnished and well-maintained environment that met their sensory and physical needs. The service had effective infection, prevention and control measures to keep people safe

• People were able to personalise their bedrooms. The registered manager and provider were reviewing options to provide increased choices of shared living areas.

Right Care

• Staff understood how to protect people from poor care and abuse. The service worked well with other agencies to do so. Staff had training on how to recognise and report abuse and they knew how to apply it.

• The service had enough appropriately skilled staff to meet people’s needs and keep them safe.

• Staff understood people’s individual communication needs. The provider supported staff to develop their communication skills, when required.

• People’s care and support plans reflected their range of needs and this promoted their wellbeing and enjoyment of life. Care plans and risk assessments were reviewed as required when people’s needs changed.

Right culture

• Staff placed people at the heart of everything they did and provided personalised care.

• People and those important to them, were involved in planning their care. Advocates were used well, to help ensure people’s views were listened to.

• The provider ensured risks of a closed culture were minimised. Staff and managers worked well with external professionals and families to ensure people’s needs were met.

• There was a shared enthusiasm across the service for learning from mistakes and continually improving safety and people’s quality of life.

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 12 July 2017).

We also visited the service in 2021 to carry out a targeted inspection looking at the infection control and prevention measures the provider has in place. We were assured that people were being protected by the prevention and control of infection. This inspection was unrated.

Why we inspected

We received concerns that there were not enough staff to provide safe, person-centred care to people living at Whiteheather. We were also told the service was not minimising the risk of people getting COVID-19. As a result, we undertook a focused inspection to review the key questions of safe, responsive and well-led only.

We reviewed the information we held about the service. No areas of concern were identified in the other key questions. We therefore did not inspect them. Ratings from previous comprehensive inspections for those key questions were used in calculating the overall rating at this inspection.

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.