Background to this inspection
Updated
4 March 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.
Inspection team
The inspection was carried out by two inspectors. The inspection site visit was carried on 12 January 2021 by one inspector.
This service provides care and support to people living in specialist ‘extra care’ housing. Extra care housing is purpose-built or adapted single household accommodation in a shared site or building. The accommodation is bought or rented and is the occupant’s own home. People’s care and housing are provided under separate contractual agreements. CQC does not regulate premises used for extra care housing; this inspection looked at people’s personal care and support service.
The service did not have a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission.
We gave the service 48 hours’ notice of the inspection. This was because it is a small service and we needed to be sure that the provider or manager would be in the office to support the inspection.
What we did before the inspection
The provider was not asked to complete a provider information return prior to this inspection. This is information we require providers to send us to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We took this into account when we inspected the service and made the judgements in this report. We used all of this information to plan our inspection. We sought feedback from the local authority.
During the inspection
We spoke with two people who used the service and the family members of a further three people about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with four members of staff including the area director, acting manager and care workers.
We reviewed a range of records. This included three people’s care records and 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 manager to validate evidence found. We looked at training data and quality assurance records. We sought information from the local authority who are in regular contact with the service.
Updated
4 March 2021
About the service
Heald Farm Court is based within the community of Newton le Willows. People using the service live in their own apartments within this extra care setting. The service supported 16 people at the time of our inspection.
Not everyone who used the service received personal care. CQC only inspects where people receive personal care. This is help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do, we also consider any wider social care provided.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
People were protected from abuse and the risk of harm. Staff had received training and understood their responsibilities.
Medication was managed safely by trained and competent staff. Medication administration records (MARs) were fully completed and regularly reviewed. Medicines policies and procedures were available for staff along with best practice guidance. Staff had access to and understood the importance of personal protective equipment (PPE).
Safe recruitment procedures were in place to help ensure that only suitable staff were employed at the service.
People were supported by staff who were caring and respected their privacy and dignity.
Systems for the oversight and monitoring of the service people received were in place. Action plans were used the address areas identified for development and improvement.
People's views were sought on the service they received from Human Support Group Ltd – Heald Farm Court. We received positive comments about the care and support people 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 6 April 2020).
Why we inspected
This was a planned focused inspection based on the previous rating.
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.
You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the 'all reports' link for Human Support Group Ltd – Heald Farm Court. on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.
Follow up
We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our reinspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.