Heartly Green

Updated 7 February 2023

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 an inspector 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

Heartly Green 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. Heartly Green 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

We gave a short period notice of the inspection to ensure we had prior information to promote safety, due to there being an infection outbreak in the home and to ensure the registered manager and/or a representative from the provider would be present to support the inspection. Inspection activity started on 10 January 2023 and ended on 19 January 2023, by which time we had received, and reviewed evidence provided after our visits to the home. We visited Heartly Green on 11 and 12 January 2023.

What we did before the inspection

Prior to the inspection we reviewed information and evidence we already held about the home, which had been collected via our ongoing monitoring of care services. This included notifications sent to us by the home. Notifications are changes, events or incidents that the provider is legally obliged to send to us without delay. We also asked for 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 (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 used all of this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with 9 people, 3 relatives and 2 visitors to the home, about the home and the care provided. We also spoke with 9 members of staff, which included the registered manager, deputy manager, chief operating officer, activities coordinator and care staff.

We reviewed a range of records and other documentation. This included 5 people’s care records, risk assessments, safety records, supplementary charts, audit and governance information. We also looked at medicines and associated records for 9 people.

After the inspection

We requested and reviewed additional evidence from the provider. This included safety records, medicines audits, Deprivation of Liberty information, training records, induction checklists, activities information, compliments, meeting minutes and audit and quality monitoring data.

Updated 7 February 2023

About the service

Heartly Green is situated in a residential area of Irlam, Salford. The home provides accommodation and personal care for up to 59 people across 2 floors. The home is separated into 4 units, Kingfisher, Barton Bell, Nightingale and Ferryrose. At the time of inspection 50 people were living at the home.

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

People received care in line with their wishes. We identified some inconsistencies in the quality and quantity of information in care plans, and supplementary charts were not always completed consistently or in sufficient detail. However, these issues had already been identified by the registered manager, with actions in place to drive improvements. The home provided a number of activities in order to meet peoples’ social and recreational needs although better record keeping was required to evidence what had been provided. People and relatives told us they knew how to complain and would happily speak to staff or the registered manager if needed.

People felt safe living at Heartly Green and told us they received good quality care from staff who knew them well and how they wanted to be cared for. Relatives were also complimentary of the safe care provided. Staff received training in safeguarding and knew how to identify and report any concerns. Accidents, incidents and falls were documented and reviewed to identify any patterns and trends. Medicines were managed safely by trained staff who had their competency assessed. The home was clean, with effective cleaning and infection control processes in place.

Staff received regular training, supervision and support to help them carry out their roles. 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 spoke positively about the food and drink provided, telling us they received enough to eat and drink. People’s healthcare needs were being met with referrals to professional made timely where required.

People told us they were very happy with the care they received and the staff who provided this. People spoke about the companionship of their peers, which they enjoyed and the home and staff feeling like part of their family. Relatives were equally positive in their feedback; with each confirming they would recommend the home to others. People confirmed they were offered choice, encouraged to maintain their independence and treated with dignity and respect.

People and relatives told us the home was well run, management were approachable and responsive and staff were friendly and attentive. People’s views were sought through meetings and surveys. The home used a range of systems and processes to monitor the quality and effectiveness of the service provided. Actions had been identified and added to the home’s improvement plan, which was regularly reviewed.

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 12 October 2021 and this is the first inspection under the current provider. The last rating for the service under the previous provider was good, published May 2019.

Why we inspected

This inspection was prompted by a review of the information we held about this service and to provide 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.

You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Heartly Green on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.

Follow up

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