Hardy Drive

Updated 25 December 2021

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

This inspection was conducted by one inspector.

Service and service type

Hardy Drive 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

This inspection was unannounced.

What we did before inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We sought 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.

During the inspection

We spoke with three people who used the service and one relative about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with seven members of staff including the area manager, registered manager and support workers. 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 records. This included four people’s care records and multiple medication records. We looked at two 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.

After the inspection

We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found. We looked at training data and quality assurance records. We spoke with two professionals who regularly visit the service.

Updated 25 December 2021

About the service

Hardy Drive is a residential care home providing personal care for up to six people. At the time of our inspection the service was supporting five people with a learning disability.

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

Staff provided care that was safe, and risks were managed appropriately. This was because staff were well trained, and systems were in place to report concerns. There was a consistent staff team, who had been safely recruited.

Medicines were well managed, and staff received training to help ensure they were sufficiently skilled. Systems were in place to report and respond to accidents and incidents. Where discrepancies occurred, these were addressed and action taken.

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.

We expect health and social care providers to guarantee autistic people and people with a learning disability the choices, dignity, independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted. Right Support, Right care, Right culture is the statutory guidance which supports CQC to make assessments and judgements about services providing support to people with a learning disability and/or autistic people.

The service was able to demonstrate how they were meeting most of the underpinning principles of Right support, Right care, Right culture. People was able to have choice and control of their day to day decisions. This included shaping a staff team and a support network around them that they felt safe in. Staff spoke in a respectful and kind way. The management team were dedicated to ensuring staff demonstrated values in line with Right support, Right care and Right culture, and were developing additional resources for staff to challenge what is best practice to ensure people felt empowered to live their lives how they wanted.

The provider was constantly looking at ways to develop their knowledge which meant people was being supported in the best way possible. This was through reviewing the persons care, enhancing staff knowledge and training and listening to people and their families.

The provider and registered manager had a governance system in place, which included various audits and Monitoring to ensure people received good care.

Staff felt supported and the management team were always available. The registered manager had a good understanding of their responsibilities towards people they supported and were passionate about delivering person-centred care.

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 requires improvement (published 08 October 2019).

Why we inspected

We undertook this inspection to provide assurance that the service is applying the principles of Right support Right care, Right culture. 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.

We received concerns in relation to supporting people’s health and well-being. As a result, we undertook a focused inspection to review the key questions of safe 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.

The overall rating for the service has changed from requires improvement to good. This is based on the findings 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.