The inspection took place on 5 and 7 April 2016 and the first day was unannounced.Hinderton Mount has been operating as a care home since 1985. Weatherstones House Care Limited has owned and run it since 1998. The home is a large house that has been converted and provides 25 places for older people who require personal care. It is situated on Chester High Road, a mile-and-a-half from Neston town centre on the Wirral.
At the time of our inspection 24 people were living at the service.
There was a registered manager in place. 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.
We last inspected the service on 11 April 2014 and found that it met all the regulations assessed at that time.
People told us that they were supported by staff that was kind and caring. Relatives of the people who used the service felt welcomed and supported by all of the staff. Staff had time for people and treated them with respect. People received care in a dignified manner that protected their privacy. Staff encouraged people to be as independent as possible and offered them choices in their day to day living.
People told us that staff knew them and their needs well and responded to their wishes promptly. People had been involved in planning the care and support they received from the service. Their needs had been identified, assessed and reviewed on a regular basis. People’s care plans were accurate but required more detail in order to make them more in a person-centred.
Everyone we spoke with, including people who used the service, their relatives and external professionals said people received individualised care. A wide and varied range of activities was on offer for people to participate in if they wished. Regular outings were also organised outside of the service.
People were protected from the risk of abuse as staff could demonstrate they understood what constituted potential abuse or poor care. Staff knew how to report any concerns and they felt confident the service would address these appropriately.
The CQC is required to monitor the Mental Capacity Act (MCA) 2005 Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) and report on what we find. Although the service had not recorded the mental capacity assessments they had made on the people they supported, the principles of the MCA had been adhered to. Applications had been made to the supervisory body for consideration under DoLS.
Staff told us they worked as part of a team, that Hinderton Mount was a good place to work, that they felt supported, morale was good and people were happy in their work. Staff received the training they needed to deliver a high standard of care. They told us that they received lots of training and were actively encouraged to access any training specific to their job.
Staff communicated with others in a respectful and professional manner. The service worked with other healthcare professionals to ensure people’s health and wellbeing needs were met. People received prompt medical and wellbeing services and staff assisted people to follow recommendations in relation to their health.
Staff had been employed following appropriate recruitment checks that ensured they were safe to work in health and social care. We saw that staff recruited had the right values and skills to work with people who used the service. Staff rotas showed that the staffing remained at the levels required to ensure all peoples needs were met and helped to keep people safe.
People had confidence in the management team and saw them on a regular basis. They found the manager to be approachable, supportive and available as required. People felt listened to and told us they had confidence that any concerns they may have would be addressed. The registered manager continuously assessed and monitored the quality of the service, including obtaining feedback from people who used the service and their relatives. Records showed that systems for recording and managing complaints, safeguarding concerns and incidents and accidents were managed well.