- Care home
Hipswell Highway
Assessment report published 10 November 2026
Contents
Ratings
Our view of the service
About the service
Hipswell Highway is a small home registered to provide accommodation for up to 6 adults. The property is detached and provides single rooms for people. At the time of our visit there were 6 people who lived at the home.
Who the service is for
This service supports adults with learning disabilities.
Key findings
We carried out this assessment on 15 October to 23 October. This service was previously rated as good. We carried out this assessment to confirm whether the rating of good remains accurate. This report does not provide detailed information on areas where we found practice continues to meet a good standard. Instead, our findings focus on any areas where the service needs to improve or where we found exceptional practice.
‘Right Support, Right Care, Right Culture’ (RSRCRC) 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. We assessed the service against RSRCRC guidance to make judgements about whether the provider guaranteed people with a learning disability and autistic people respect, equality, dignity, choices, independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted.
People can only be deprived of their liberty to receive care and treatment with appropriate legal authority. In care homes, this can be done through a procedure called the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS), which is part of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA). We checked whether the service was working within the principles of the MCA and how they managed DoLS within the service. We found that staff and management worked within the MCA. DoLS authorisations were appropriately applied for and overseen. People were not subject to unlawful or excessive restrictions they had choice, control and freedom over their lives.
People were supported by staff who understood their responsibilities to keep people safe and report safeguarding concerns appropriately. One staff member told us, “If I’m worried about anything, I will report it straight to the manager.” People and relatives told us people were safe living at Hipswell Highway. One relative told us, “Oh [person] is absolutely safe there.”
Managers reviewed incidents to identify learning and trends, and individualised risk assessments were in place to support people safely. Staff were recruited safely and were supported with ongoing supervision and training. Medicines were administered as prescribed and appropriate guidance was in place. Some environmental concerns and issues relating to medication storage were identified during the inspection. The management team responded promptly and took immediate action to address these matters.
Staff supported people to move into the care home in a planned and person-centred way. They gathered information from people, relatives and professionals, and gave people opportunities to visit the home and get to know staff and other people living at the home before moving in. One relative told us, “[Person] had introductory sessions at the home to get to know what it is really like there.” Care plans were regularly reviewed and updated, and relatives were kept involved and informed. Staff understood people's health, dietary and communication needs. Staff used recognised assessment tools to monitor people’s health and identify changes at an early stage, they promptly referred people to healthcare professionals when required.
Staff clearly identified and regularly reviewed people’s desired outcomes. Records showed that people had made progress towards greater independence, developing their skills and participating in everyday life.
Staff placed a strong emphasis on supporting people to maintain their independence and make choices about their daily lives. One staff member told us, “Independence is always encouraged.”
Care plans clearly described what people could do independently and how staff should support and encourage them to maintain and develop their skills. Staff understood the importance of gaining consent and supporting people to make decisions wherever possible. Mental capacity assessments had been completed where required and were decision specific.
Staff understood how to promote people's dignity and individuality and care planning was centred around people's preferences, strengths and what was important to them. One healthcare professional spoke positively about the support people received and the culture within the service. They told us, “It’s clear that staff have a good professional relationship with the residents and care deeply for their wellbeing.” Systems were in place to encourage feedback from people and their families, including surveys, during reviews, and informal chats. One relative told us, “I have a very good relationship with the management. I share any concerns by email, telephone, or in person. They are very open to us mentioning things.”
The registered manager and deputy manager promoted an open and positive learning culture. Staff understood the provider's values, worked well together and spoke positively about the support they received from the management team. One staff member told us, "The managers are very helpful and supportive.” Governance systems provided oversight of the quality and safety of the service. While some issues identified during the inspection had not always been identified through existing audits, the management team acted promptly to address concerns and demonstrated a commitment to continuous improvement.
People's experience of this service
We spoke to people who lived at the home and obtained feedback from relatives. We also undertook general observations to understand the experience of people and their care and how staff interacted with people and supported them
Feedback from people and their relatives was positive. One person told us, “I like living here.” A relative told us, “I am most appreciative of the care [person] receives.”
We saw people were able to engage in activities they enjoyed each day. One person told us they liked to attend their local church, go shopping and enjoyed going out for coffee and cake. When they did not have a planned activity, they liked to colour and do some baking.
One relative told us their loved one enjoyed taking part in activities such as trips to the cinema and having their nails painted, and said staff supported them to do these things. They also told us staff gave their loved one plenty of attention and they were pleased with the progress they had made since moving into the home.
During our visit, we observed staff treating people with kindness and dignity. Staff engaged with people in a warm and friendly manner, while maintaining a professional approach. People told us they liked the staff. Relatives were also complimentary. One relative told us, “Staff are very friendly. They look after the residents well.”
Staff supported people to maintain relationships and stay connected with family and friends. One relative described how staff helped their loved one remain in contact with them while they were outside the country.
During our visit, we observed people making choices, and relatives confirmed that staff respected these. Comments included, “[Person] is given a choice” and “We are very pleased that they honour [person’s] wishes.” People choose whether to socialise with others or spend time in their bedrooms, and staff respected their decisions.