Archived: Highbury Residential Care Home

Updated 30 June 2016

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection was planned to check 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 inspection took place on 6 June 2016 and was unannounced. The inspection team consisted of 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.

Before the inspection the provider had completed a Provider Information Return (PIR). This is a form that asks the provider to give key information about the service, to detail what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. Prior to the inspection we reviewed notifications that we had received from the provider. A notification is information about important events which the provider is required to send us by law. We contacted the local authority who had funding responsibility for some of the people who were using the service.

As part of our inspection we spoke with 11 people who used the service. We observed staff and people’s interactions, and how the staff supported people. Our observations supported us to determine how staff interacted with people who used the service, and how people responded to the interactions. We spoke with, seven members of staff including the cook, and the registered manager and a visiting professional. We looked at the care records of three people who used the service, people’s medication records, staff training records, staff recruitment files and the provider’s quality assurance documentation.

Updated 30 June 2016

We inspected this service on 6 June 2016. The inspection was unannounced.

Highbury residential care home is a 27 bedded residential home for older people, some of whom have dementia. One the day of our inspection there were 23 people using the service.

The service had a registered manager. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission 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 were protected from harm. People told us they felt safe and that there were enough staff available to meet their needs. There was a recruitment policy in place which the registered manager followed. We found that all the required pre-employment checks were being carried out before staff commenced work at the service.

Risks associated with people’s care were assessed and managed to protect people from harm. Staff had received training to meet the needs of the people who used the service. People received their medicines as required and medicines were managed and administered safely.

People enjoyed the meals provided and where they had dietary requirements, these were met.

Systems were in place to monitor the health and wellbeing of people who used the service. People’s health needs were met and when necessary, outside health professionals were contacted for support.

People were supported to make decisions about the care they received. People’s opinions were sought and respected. The provider had considered their responsibility to meet the requirements of the Mental Capacity Act (MCA) and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS). The registered manager was clear of their role in ensuring decisions were made in people’s best interest.

The registered manager had assessed the care needs of people using the service. Staff had a clear understanding of their role and how to support people who used the service as individuals. Staff knew people well and treated them with kindness and compassion.

People were supported to follow their interests. Information about planned activities were displayed within the home. People’s independence was promoted and staff treated people with dignity and respect.

Staff felt supported by the registered manager. The registered manager supervised staff and regularly checked their competency to carry out their role. People who used the service felt they could talk to the registered manager and were confident that they would address issues if required. Relatives found the registered manager to be approachable.