Archived: Hillview Care Home

Updated 2 March 2017

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. The inspection was planned to check whether the provider had made necessary improvements since our last visit and met the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2012. The purpose of the inspection was also to look at the overall quality of the service and to provide a rating under the Care Act 2014.

This inspection was carried out on 26 January 2017 and was unannounced. The inspection team consisted of one inspector.

Before the inspection, the provider completed a Provider Information Return (PIR). This is a form that requires them to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We also reviewed other information we held about the service including statutory notifications. Statutory notifications include information about important events which the provider is required to send us.

We also spoke with the local authority's social services and clinical commissioning group professionals as well as the local authorities safeguarding team to ask their feedback about the services provided to people.

During the inspection we spoke with four people who lived at the home, four staff members and the registered manager. After the inspection we spoke with a health professional. We viewed care plans relating to three people who lived at the home and various records relating to the management of the service. We also carried out observations in communal lounges and dining rooms and used the Short Observational Framework for Inspection (SOFI). SOFI is a specific way of observing care to help us understand the experience of people who could not talk with us due to complex health needs.

Updated 2 March 2017

Hillview Care Home is a residential home for older people that accommodates and provides care for up to 34 people. At the time of our inspection 32 people were living at the service.

This inspection took place on 26 January 2017 and was unannounced. When we last inspected the service on 07 and 09 October 2015 they were not meeting the required standards in all of the areas we looked at. We found breaches of the regulations in ensuring governance systems were not effectively operated to monitor the quality of the service provided. We also told the provider they needed to make improvements to ensure people received safe care and treatment that met their needs. The provider submitted to us an action plan that detailed how they would make the necessary improvements.

At this inspection we found that improvements had been made.

The home had a registered manager in post. 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.

People told us they felt safe. They were supported by sufficient numbers of staff and the registered manager continued to successfully recruit and built a permanent staff group within the home. Safe and effective recruitment practices were followed to make sure that staff were of good character. Staff were knowledgeable about the risks of potential abuse and knew how to report any concerns. Risks to people's safety and welfare were responded to and addressed to reduce identified risks. People were supported to take their medicines as prescribed and medicines were managed safely by staff trained to do so.

People were positive about the skills and abilities of the staff. Training had been provided to staff in key areas and staff told us they felt supported by their line manager. Staff told us, they had supervision meetings to review their performance and professional development. People's consent was sought prior to care being provided and where people lacked the capacity to make their own decisions, the requirements of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 were followed. People at risk of weight loss were supported adequately and responded to promptly. People were supported by a range of health and social care professionals with their needs when they required this.

People were cared for in a kind and compassionate way by staff who knew them well. Staff were observed to have developed positive and caring relationships with people who lived at the home. When personal care was provided, this was carried out in a respectful way that promoted people's dignity and took full account of their needs and wishes.

People were able to pursue their individual interests and were provided with sufficient opportunities to take part in meaningful activities. People knew how to raise concerns and complaints were managed well.

People told us the registered manager was approachable, listened to their views and were visible within the home. Staff told us they were provided with structured meetings where they could discuss issues relevant to the running of the home. People’s views and opinions were sought about the care they received. The provider ensured they continually monitored and reviewed the quality of care people received through effectively operated governance systems.