Archived: Hill Grove

Updated 14 December 2017

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection checked whether the provider is meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

This unannounced comprehensive inspection visit took place on 26 October 2017.

The inspection team consisted of one inspector. Before our inspection we looked at information that had been sent to us by the registered manager. We also reviewed our previous inspection report. We had not requested a Provider Information Return (PIR) which is a form that asks the provider to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and what improvements they plan to make. This was because the inspection was planned at short notice due to concerns received.

We spoke with five people who used the service and one relative. We also spoke with the registered manager, two directors and four members of care staff.

During our inspection we used the Short Observation Framework for Inspection (SOFI). This involved observing staff interactions with the people in their care. SOFI is a specific way of observing care to help us understand the experience of people who could not talk with us.

We observed staff interactions with the people in their care and looked at the care records of four people who lived at the service, staff recruitment and training records plus arrangements for meal provision. We also viewed staffing rotas with regard to people’s assessed needs, the recorded complaints and compliments, medicine records and audits of care.

Updated 14 December 2017

Hill Grove is registered to provide accommodation and personal care for up to 20 people, some of whom live with dementia. The service is located in the small Norfolk village of Cringleford. When we visited there were 15 people living at the service.

This unannounced inspection took place on 26 October 2016.

A registered manager was in post when we inspected the home. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) 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.

At the last inspection of 05 May 2016 the service was rated ‘Good’. At this inspection the service remained ‘Good’ and met all relevant fundamental standards.

We brought forward this inspection due to concerns of which we became aware. Those were that people were being got up very early in the morning and had not given their consent for this. Also there was concern about the moving and handling techniques used at the service and the care and management of a person’s catheter.

At this inspection people that we up at 07.30a.m. had given their consent. We found that all staff had been trained in moving and handling when they joined the service and had completed refresher training on a yearly basis. Staff were knowledgeable about the equipment in the service, how it was to be used safely and for those people that needed assistance how this was to be achieved. This was reflected accurately in people’s care plans and we saw staff moving people during the inspection with courtesy and safely.

Staff were aware of what to do should there be any problems observed with catheters and this was recorded in the person’s risk assessment. Changing of the catheter was planned by the district nursing staff and the service staff were aware that should they have any concerns they could call upon the district nursing staff at any time.

Each person had their own written risk assessment and related care plan to inform staff how to support people to meet their need. Staff had received training in safeguarding people and knew how to make referrals should the need arise.

Staffing levels were appropriate to support people meet their individual assessed need. There was a robust recruitment process for employing staff appropriately to care for vulnerable people. Processes and procedures were in place to receive, record, store and administer of medicines safely. There were individual protocols for the administration medicines.

Staff received supervision, training and a yearly appraisal.

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice. Staff encouraged people to eat sufficiently and have drinks of their choice. A range of healthcare professionals visited the service as requested by the staff to support them and the people to meet their needs.

People were supported by staff to make day to day decisions about their care and act upon their choices. This included the time they got up and went to bed. People’s dignity and privacy was respected by the staff. Care was delivered in an understanding and empathic way to meet people’s needs.

There was a care plan in place for each person which was based on an individual needs assessments and took into account people’s preferences. The care plans were reviewed regularly to remain relevant and up to date. People were encouraged to engage with a variety of activities. Complaints were recorded and acted upon and compliments had also been recorded.

There were systems in operation designed to ensure the service was managed effectively and to monitor the quality of the service provided.

Further information is in the detailed findings below.