24 April 2018
During a routine inspection
Heversham House 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.
Heversham House accommodates up to 13 older people. It is situated in a village close to the market town of Milnthorpe on the edge of the Lake District. The home is a detached Georgian house with many original features and has been adapted for its current purpose. There is an attractive and private walled garden.
There was a registered manager at the home. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Like registered providers, they are 'registered persons'. Registered persons have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.
People told us they felt safe at the home and were “very happy” and “very satisfied” with the care and support they received. One person told us, “Nowhere is home but I think this is as good as it can be." We saw people who lived at the home were clean and well dressed and all spoke well of the management and staff. They looked relaxed and comfortable in the care of staff supporting them.
The service had a safeguarding policy and staff had undertaken safeguarding training and could explain the process. Staffing levels were consistent and flexible and staff recruitment was robust.
Health and safety records were in place and regular checks had been undertaken. Arrangements were in place for contingency planning for foreseeable emergencies and for moving people in the event of fire. Accidents and incidents were recorded and there were individual and general risk assessments in place for people and covering the premises. We looked around the home and found it had been maintained and was a clean, homely and a safe place or people to live. We saw that equipment in use had been serviced and maintained as required.
Medicines management systems were safe and staff had undertaken appropriate training in medicines administration. Staff were being appropriately trained for their roles and well supported by the registered manager. Systems were in place to give staff the opportunity to discuss their work and have appraisals.
We observed regular snacks and drinks were provided between meals to help make sure people received adequate nutrition and hydration. People who lived in the home told us they were happy with the variety and choice of meals being provided and that there was always a choice.
People who lived at Heversham House and their relatives knew how to raise a concern or to make a complaint. The complaints procedure was available and systems in place to manage complaints.
The registered manager understood the requirements of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) and the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS). This meant they worked within the law to support people who might lack capacity to make some of their own decisions. People living in the home were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives, and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible, and the policies and systems in the service support this practice.
Quality assurance surveys were used to seek the views of people who used the service and there were a number of audits in care being carried out to monitor systems. We found people had access to healthcare professionals and their healthcare needs were being met.