Hepworth House

Updated 29 November 2022

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 Health and Social Care Act 2008.

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

The inspection was carried out by two inspectors and an Expert by Experience. An Expert by Experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of care service.

Service and service type

Hepworth House is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing and/or personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement dependent on their registration with us. Hepworth House is a care home without nursing care. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

Registered Manager

This provider is required to have a registered manager to oversee the delivery of regulated activities at this location. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Registered managers and providers are legally responsible for how the service is run, for the quality and safety of the care provided and compliance with regulations.

At the time of our inspection there was a registered manager in post.

Notice of inspection

This inspection was unannounced.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return (PIR). This is information providers are required to send us annually with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. We sought feedback from Healthwatch. Healthwatch is an independent consumer champion that gathers and represents the views of the public about health and social care services in England. We used all this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with eight people who used the service about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with six members of staff including the regional director, registered manager, activities coordinator and support workers. We spoke with six relatives about their experience of the care provided.

We reviewed a range of records. This included three 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.

Updated 29 November 2022

About the service

Hepworth House is a purpose built residential care home providing personal care for up to 66 people. The service provides support to older adults and people living with dementia. At the time of our inspection there were 38 people using the service.

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

Service design was focused on people who used the service and promoted their comfort and safety. The home was exceptionally clean and well maintained. Systems were in place to manage medicines safely and promote independence. People were encouraged and supported to self-medicate to maintain their independence. Staff dependency calculations and actual staff on duty were available for people and their relatives to see in the reception area demonstrating transparency and showing people there were sufficient staff on duty to ensure their safety. The service had very effective monitoring systems in place. The service was extremely responsive and proactive in identifying areas that could put people at risk. People and their relatives were extremely complimentary about how they were kept safe.

People were actively involved in their care and the service was creative in engaging and empowering people and their relatives. The service embedded best practice to meet people’s individual needs and ensure they received good healthcare. The service had a strong emphasis on encouraging people and their relatives to give their feedback on the service, to ensure they were providing outstanding quality support. Systems were in place to ensure people were able to make day to day decisions about their care and encourage people to do so. The service had a special focus on ensuring mealtimes were very enjoyable and provided a social experience for people. Staff had excellent relationships with people and used effective communication skills to promote choice and inclusion.

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.

People received a consistently outstanding standard of care because the staff and management team placed people at the heart of the service, while continuously seeking new ways to improve their well-being and enrich their lives. The service had outstanding facilities in place to promote people’s social involvement and inclusion. People told us they felt listened to and that staff were extremely caring and compassionate. There was an incredibly friendly, positive and homely atmosphere throughout the service.

The service was exceptionally responsive and the staff had an excellent knowledge of people’s diversity, values and beliefs. The service consistently met the needs of the people based on their wishes, enhancing their quality of life. People were involved in activities that were chosen by them and were meaningful to them. People and their relatives were involved in community projects and charity events to enable them to live full and active lives.

The registered manager and staff team were focused on providing a person led service that promoted positive outcomes for people. The registered manager sought to implement innovative ways to improve the service. There was very strong, clear leadership in the service and the registered manager was an excellent role model for the staff team ensuring and directing continued development and improvement of the service based on feedback from people. Staff were exceptionally motivated in their roles and were actively encouraged to develop their skills and knowledge.

For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk

Rating at last inspection

This service was registered with us on 02 July 2021 and this is the first inspection.

Why we inspected

We carried out an inspection of a newly registered service to give the provider a rating.

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.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.