Heaton Vale

Updated 6 July 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.

Inspection team

This inspection was undertaken by 2 inspectors.

Service and service type

Heaton Vale 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. Heaton Vale 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 sought 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 this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with 5 people who used the service and 6 relatives about their experience of the care provided. We observed interactions between staff and people living at Heaton Vale. We spoke with 7 members of staff in various roles. We reviewed 4 people's care records and other records relating to people's care and support. We looked at 5 staff files in relation to recruitment. A variety of records relating to the management of the service were reviewed, including policies and procedures.

Updated 6 July 2023

About the service

Heaton Vale is a residential care home providing accommodation and personal care in a flat scheme setting of up to 10 flats for people aged 18 with Autism and/or a learning disability.

Not everyone who used the service received personal care. CQC only inspects where people receive personal care. This is help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do, we also consider any wider social care provided.

At the time of our inspection there were 10 people using the service, of which 8 people were receiving support with personal care.

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

We expect health and social care providers to guarantee people with a learning disability and autistic people respect, equality, dignity, choices and independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted. ‘Right support, right care, right culture’ is the guidance CQC follows to make assessments and judgements about services supporting people with a learning disability and autistic people and providers must have regard to it.

Right support

People were not supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff did not support them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service did not support this practice.

Processes were in place to assess people under the principles of the Mental Capacity Act (MCA) however, we found that the service was not always working in line with this.

Robust care plans were in place which provided guidance for staff on how the person wished to receive their care. However, improvements were required over records staff completed to evidence how the person spent their day.

We received mixed responses from people and relatives regarding staffing levels, which meant that people could not always access activities they wished to complete. However, relatives reflected recent improvement in staffing and the challenges that the care sector faces in recruiting staff. The provider was able to demonstrate on-going recruitment and improvements in recent months.

Safe recruitment processes were followed. Staff received on-going training and development to support them in their roles.

People were encouraged to have choice and support was personalised to their wishes. Staff supported people to be as independent as possible in their homes and out in the community.

Right Care

People were positive about the care and support they received. People were treated with dignity and respect by staff knowledgeable about the person and their support needs.

People were supported to be as independent as possible in the home. Staff knew people well and spoke passionately regarding the people they supported and working for the provider.

Relatives were positive regarding their loved ones living at the service and support that was provided.

Right Culture:

Relatives gave mixed feedback regarding communication and involvement with the service. With some relatives sharing their wish for communication to be improved.

We identified some improvements were required in relation to medicines and the provider policy to ensure that staff were clear of their responsibilities.

Staff spoke positively about the management team and felt supported to develop in their roles.

People who lived in the service overall spoke positively about the staff and the support they received.

The registered manager, management team and staff demonstrated a personal-centred culture which focused on meeting people's individual needs.

Professionals gave positive feedback of partnership working with management and staff at Heaton Vale and achieving outcomes for people.

The registered manager was committed to making continued improvements.

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

Rating at last inspection

The last rating for this service was outstanding (published 13 November 2017).

Why we inspected

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

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.

Enforcement and Recommendations

We have identified a breach in relation oversight of the MCA and management of actions to keep people safe.

We made a recommendation for the provider to review their medication policy and the registered manager to review medicines in the service.

We made a recommendation over communication and engagement with relatives.

Follow up

We will request an action plan from the provider to understand what they will do to improve the standards of quality and safety. We will work alongside the provider and local authority to monitor progress. We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.