Hunters Creek Care Home

Updated 16 December 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 Health and Social Care Act 2008.

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

The inspection team was made up of 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.

Hunters Creek Care Home is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing and/or personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement dependent on their registration with us. Hunters Creek Care Home 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.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We sought feedback from the local authority who work with the service. We used all this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We conducted 2 site visits as part of this inspection: on 1 and 5 December 2022

We spoke with the nominated individual for the company registered to operate the care home, the operational manager, the registered manager; the deputy manager; 2 nurses, 5 care staff, 2 housekeepers and the chef. We also spoke with 6 people and 8 relatives about their experience of the care provided.

We used the Short Observational Framework for Inspection (SOFI). SOFI is a way of observing care to help us understand the experience of people who could not talk with us.

We reviewed a range of written records including 6 people’s care files, 2 staff recruitment files and information relating to the auditing and monitoring of service provision.

After the inspection

We reviewed further information we had requested from the provider.

Updated 16 December 2022

About the service

Hunters Creek is a residential care home providing personal and nursing care to up to 91 people. The service predominately provides support to people some of who are living with dementia. At the time of our inspection there were 82 people using the service.

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

People using the service were safe. The provider had systems and processes in place to protect people from abuse and staff were aware of their responsibilities in keeping people safe.

The risks to people’s safety were regularly assessed and there were measures in place to reduce these risks. The registered manager had processes in place to learn from accidents and incidents to further reduce risk to people living at the service.

People were supported by adequate numbers of safely recruited staff, who had received appropriate training for their roles and were supported with regular supervision from their line managers.

People’s medicines were well managed, and people were protected from the risk of infection as the staff maintained good infection, prevention and control practices.

People’s needs were assessed using nationally recognised assessment tools to ensure they received care which met their needs. Their nutritional needs were met, and they were provided with nutritional and appetising meals.

People’s health needs were well managed, and staff worked with external health professionals to ensure people received consistent care.

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

People lived in a well-maintained environment supported by staff who treated them with respect and dignity. They and their relatives were involved in the development of their care plans to ensure they received personalised care.

People were supported to maintain relationships with family and friends. The service followed government guidance when welcoming visitors into the service and people were encouraged to take part in social activities of their choice.

The registered manager took complaints or concerns about people’s care seriously and responded to complaints in a positive way following the providers complaints procedure.

There were effective quality monitoring processes in place to support good standards of care. People, relatives and staff told us the manager was open, approachable and responsive. Staff felt supported by them.

People and staff’s views on the running of the service were gathered through newsletters, meetings and questionnaires, and the management team acted on the responses they received.

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 August 2022) and there were breaches of regulation. 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.

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