Huntercombe Hall Care Home

On this page

• Overview
• Learning culture
• Safe systems, pathways and transitions
• Safeguarding
• Involving people to manage risks
• Safe environments
• Safe and effective staffing
• Infection prevention and control
• Medicines optimisation

Safe – this means we looked for evidence that people were protected from abuse and avoidable harm.

At our last assessment we rated this key question good. At this assessment the rating has remained good. This meant people were safe and protected from avoidable harm.

This service scored 75 (out of 100) for this area. Find out what we look at when we assess this area and How we calculate these scores.

The provider had a proactive and positive culture of safety, based on openness and honesty. Staff listened to concerns about safety and investigated and reported safety events. Lessons were learnt to continually identify and embed good practice. Systems were in place to enable learning and improvements. Leaders investigated and reviewed accidents and incidents and shared the learning with the wider team. Lessons learnt were also shared in team meetings. Staff told us they were informed during handovers, and they were sure the care plans and risk assessments would be updated. The provider held monthly meetings to review trends and themes to support a learning culture.

The provider worked with people and healthcare partners to establish and maintain safe systems of care, in which safety was managed or monitored. They made sure there was continuity of care, including when people moved between different services. The registered manager told us they had meetings with the family and worked with professionals. We received mixed feedback from staff. A member of staff told us they often needed to ask for more information as information was not always put forward when people moved into the service. However, staff also told us they were informed of people’s information in advance, the information is on the system, and they could ask staff. Any pre-admissions and planned admissions to the service were reviewed by the leaders.

The provider worked with people and healthcare partners to understand what being safe meant to them and the best way to achieve that. Staff concentrated on improving people’s lives while protecting their right to live in safety, free from bullying, harassment, abuse, discrimination, avoidable harm and neglect. The provider shared concerns quickly and appropriately. The service reported safeguarding concerns to the local authority. Relatives told us their loved ones felt safe. Relatives told us, “It is always great to walk away as a family knowing that [person] is happy and safe”. Staff had been trained in safeguarding and staff told us they would inform the registered manager and the nurse on duty if they had any concerns. Staff had received safeguarding training.

The provider worked with people to understand and manage risks by thinking holistically. Staff provided care to meet people’s needs that was safe, supportive and enabled people to do the things that mattered to them. The service completed risk assessments. Risk assessments were completed regarding people’s individual health needs such as swallowing, mobilising and falls. A member of staff told us all the information they required was in the care plans and risk assessments and they were given enough time to read through care plans and understand them. Another member of staff told us they would involve people as they, “would talk it through with the resident and advise them”.

The provider detected and controlled potential risks in the care environment. They made sure equipment, facilities and technology supported the delivery of safe care. Daily checks, maintenance and equipment checks were actioned by the service. During the site visit, we identified parts of a bathroom required improvements. However, the registered manager demonstrated their oversight and commitment where refurbishments had been requested. Staff told us they would report any concerns relating to faults with the equipment to the manager or the head office. Staff told us they had weekly fire alarm tests and had, “quite a few fire drills”.

The provider made sure there were enough qualified, skilled and experienced staff, who received effective support, supervision and development. They worked together well to provide safe care that met people’s individual needs. Staff were recruited safely which included a Disclosure and Barring service check. This checks for criminal convictions and inclusion on lists of people who would be unsuitable to work with people at risk. The information helps employers make safer recruitment decisions. The registered manager had oversight of spot checks, training and supervisions. Staff told us they had regular supervisions. Staff also told us, “The training is very good. I feel confident with what we are taught” and “I had a 3 week induction process and it was good”.

The provider assessed and managed the risk of infection. They detected and controlled the risk of it spreading and shared concerns with appropriate agencies promptly. We received mostly positive feedback from people and relatives. We were told sometimes there was malodour in part of the home and some relatives told us there were no issues with cleanliness. However, during the inspection the registered manager demonstrated their oversight and commitment where improvements were being made. The registered manager had oversight of the housekeeping and cleaning schedule.

The provider made sure that medicines and treatments were safe and met people’s needs, capacities and preferences. Staff involved people in planning, including when changes happened. Medicines were administered safely. A relative told us, “It’s a relief to me to know the medical care there is so good”. Medicines audits were actioned with target dates for completion of identified actions. People had processes in place for the administration of ‘when required PRN (pro re nata) medicines. A member of staff told us if they noticed the person was requiring PRN medicines more than usual as this would indicate a concern, they would contact the GP. People had PRN protocols in place.