Background to this inspection
Updated
3 March 2022
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.
As part of CQC’s response to care homes with outbreaks of COVID-19, we are conducting reviews to ensure that the Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) practice is safe and that services are compliant with IPC measures. This was a targeted inspection looking at the IPC practices the provider has in place. We also asked the provider about any staffing pressures the service was experiencing and whether this was having an impact on the service.
This inspection took place on 22 February 2022 and was announced. We gave the service one days’ notice of the inspection.
Updated
3 March 2022
About the service
Heathcotes Rotherham is a residential care home providing personal care to adults with learning disabilities and autism. The service is registered to provide care for up to six people in one building. There were six people living at the home at the time of inspection.
The service has been developed and designed in line with the principles and values that underpin Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. This ensures that people who use the service can live as full a life as possible and achieve the best possible outcomes. The principles reflect the need for people with learning disabilities and/or autism to live meaningful lives that include control, choice, and independence. People using the service receive planned and co-ordinated person-centred support that is appropriate and inclusive for them.
People's experience of using this service and what we found
The service applied the principles and values of Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. These ensure that people who use the service can live as full a life as possible and achieve the best possible outcomes that include control, choice and independence.
Medicines were not always safe. We have made a recommendation about the management of some medicines. Appropriate recruitment checks had taken place before staff started work and there were enough staff available to meet people's care and support needs. The service had safeguarding and whistleblowing policies and procedures in place and staff had a clear understanding of these procedures. Risks to people had been assessed to ensure their needs were safely met. The service had procedures in place to reduce the risk of infections.
People's care and support needs were assessed before they started to use the service. Staff had the skills, knowledge and experience to support people appropriately. Staff were supported through induction, training and regular supervision. People were supported to maintain a healthy balanced diet and had access to health care professionals when they needed them. People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.
People and professionals were happy with the care and support they received and spoke positively about staff and the manager. People's care and support needs were met by staff who knew them well and enjoyed working with them.
People were involved in the planning and delivery of their care, and regularly asked for feedback which was acted upon when appropriate. Staff were encouraged to be actively involved in service development.
People knew how to complain and were confident to do so. There had not been any complaints since the service had been open. Quality assurance processes, such as audits, were used to identify areas for continuous improvement.
There was a positive and person-centred culture, promoted by the manager. People, staff and professionals spoke highly of the manager and her dedication to the people and service. Staff told us they were well supported. The registered manager understood their regulatory responsibilities.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk
Rating at last inspection
This service was registered with us on 14/01/2019 and this is the first inspection.
Why we inspected
This was a planned full comprehensive inspection to ensure that the service was meeting the regulations of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and CQC.
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.