About the service Heathlands Residential care home is a residential care home providing personal care to 58 people aged 65 and over at the time of the inspection. The service can support up to 63 people in one adapted building across two floors with specialist areas providing care to people living with dementia.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
People and their relatives were positive about the service and the care provided. People benefited from the new initiatives and ideas to improve opportunities for social interactions and people’s well-being that involved people and their families. Staff were passionate about providing care in a very personalised way and worked with the registered manager to facilitate this. There was a culture of openness that was reflected in all aspects of the service. Suggestions and ideas were acted upon from people, families and staff. Staff were responsive to people's individual needs and wishes and had an in-depth knowledge about each person. Relatives confirmed staff knew their family members needs well.
People were cared for by staff who knew how to keep them safe and protect them from avoidable harm. Sufficient, knowledgeable staff were available to meet people's needs. People told us there was always someone to help when they needed it. People received their medicines regularly and systems were in place for the safe management and supply of medicines. Incidents and accidents were investigated, and actions were taken to prevent recurrence. The premises were clean, and staff followed infection control and prevention procedures.
People's needs were assessed, and care was planned and delivered to meet legislation and good practice guidance. Care was delivered by staff who were well trained and knowledgeable about people's needs and wishes. People enjoyed the meal time experience, and relatives and friends were welcome to share this experience. People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice. When people were unable to make decisions about their care and support, the principles of the Mental Capacity Act (2005) were followed.
People were cared for by staff who were kind and compassionate. The atmosphere within the home was friendly and welcoming and staff were warm and considerate towards people they cared for. People and their relatives felt involved and supported in decision making. People's privacy was respected, and their dignity maintained.
People's concerns were listened to and action was taken to improve the service as a result. The registered manager and her management team were open, approachable and focussed on providing person centred care. Systems were in the process of being updated to improve the monitoring of the quality of care provided. The management team and staff engaged well with other organisations and had developed positive relationships. The registered manager worked on promoting strong community links within the health economy.
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 good (published 8 July 2016.)
Why we inspected
This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.
Follow up
We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.