Highcliffe Nursing Home

Updated 17 February 2021

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 the coronavirus pandemic we are looking at the preparedness of care homes in relation to infection prevention and control. This was a targeted inspection looking at the infection control and prevention measures the provider has in place.

This inspection took place on 5 February 2021 and was announced.

Updated 17 February 2021

About the service

Highcliffe nursing home is a residential care home providing personal and nursing care to 41 older people at the time of our inspection. The service can support up to 62 people. The service specialises in providing care to people living with dementia.

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

Staff were passionate and skilled in providing person centred care which respected people’s lifestyle choices and the things important to them. Knowledge of people’s past history, interests and hobbies provided staff with information to help people get the most out of their lives. Staff provided outstanding end of life care to people that was reflective of their lifestyle choices, culture and religion, and worked closely with other health professionals to ensure people were comfortable and pain free. Staff were excellent at recognising and pro-actively supporting the emotional needs of people and families who had experienced a bereavement.

People and their families described care as safe. Staff understood their role in recognising and reporting any concerns of abuse or poor practice. People were protected from discrimination as staff had completed equality and diversity training and we observed them respecting people’s lifestyle choices. Risks to people, including infection prevention, were regularly, assessed, reviewed and monitored. Staff understood the actions needed to minimise avoidable harm to people. People had their medicines administered safely by staff that regularly had their competencies checked. Accidents and incidents were used to reflect on practice and lessons learned were shared with the staff team.

Pre-admission assessments captured peoples care needs and choices and were used to create an initial care and support plan. People had their eating and drinking needs understood by both care and catering teams. Staff had received an induction, on-going training and support which enabled them to carry out their roles effectively and were provided with opportunities for professional development. 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. The environment provided private and social indoor and outdoor space and signage enabled people to access areas independently.

People and their families spoke positively about the care provided and the friendly nature of the staff team. Staff knew people well, including their past history and family and friends important to them which meant they could enjoy meaningful conversations. People had their communication skills understood which enabled staff to involve them in decisions about their day to day lives. Staff understood the importance, and we observed them, respecting people, ensuring dignity and finding ways to enable independence.

People, their families and the staff team spoke positively about the management of the home, describing the management team as visible, supportive and caring. Staff understood their roles and responsibilities, felt involved and able to share ideas. Quality assurance processes were multi-layered and robust, included the voice of people, families and staff and drove continuous improvement.

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 good (published 24 May 2017).

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.