Hazelwood House

Updated 9 March 2022

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.

As part of CQC’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic we are looking at how services manage infection control and visiting arrangements. This was a targeted inspection looking at the infection prevention and control measures the provider had in place. We also asked the provider about any staffing pressures the service was experiencing and whether this was having an impact on the service.

This inspection took place on 22 February 2022 and was announced. We gave the service one days’ notice of the inspection.

Updated 9 March 2022

About the service

Hazelwood House is a care home. It is registered to provide accommodation and personal care for up to eleven people and predominantly supports people living with a learning and physical disability. At the time of the inspection there were ten people living at the service.

The service has been developed and designed in line with the principles and values that underpin Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. This ensures that people who use the service can live as full a life as possible and achieve the best possible outcomes. The principles reflect the need for people with learning disabilities and/or autism to live meaningful lives that include control, choice, and independence. People using the service receive planned and co-ordinated person-centred support that is appropriate and inclusive for them.

The service was a large home, bigger than most domestic style properties. It was registered for the support of up to 11 people. Ten people were using the service. This is larger than current best practice guidance. However. the size of the service having a negative impact on people was mitigated by the building design fitting into the surrounding residential area. There were deliberately no identifying signs outside to indicate it was a care home. Staff were also discouraged from wearing anything that suggested they were care staff when coming and going with people.

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

People told us they were happy living at Hazelwood House and felt supported to live their lives. They were supported to maintain their independence as much as possible and encouraged to participate in activities of daily living. One person told us, “Yes, I love it here.”

Staff were recruited safely, and staffing levels had been increased, which meant that people received the support they required to keep safe. Staff knew how to keep people safe from harm.

Staff demonstrated a commitment to providing person-centred care based on people's preferences and wishes. The staff team knew people well and had built trusting and meaningful relationships with them.

People received their medicines safely and as prescribed. Appropriate arrangements were in place for obtaining, recording, administering and disposing of prescribed medicines.

Staff had received appropriate training and support to enable them to carry out their role safely.

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.

The service applied the principles and values of Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. These ensure that people who use the service can live as full a life as possible and achieve the best possible outcomes that include control, choice and independence. The outcomes for people using the service reflected these by promoting choice and control, independence and inclusion. People's support focused on them having as many opportunities as possible for them to gain new skills and become more independent.

Care plans were detailed and person centred. People were involved in deciding how they wished to be supported and in reviewing their care plans when needed. Information was available in a format they could understand.

Staff used positive communication techniques with people so that they felt listened to and valued according to their individual needs.

Staff were kind, patient and responsive to people's needs. People were treated with dignity and staff respected their privacy

People were supported to engage in a variety of activities of their choice, both in the home and out in the community.

The provider had systems and processes to monitor quality within the home. The registered manager understood their regulatory responsibilities and shared information with stakeholders in a timely way.

People, their families, staff and external professionals all told us that the registered manager was very supportive, and the home was well led.

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

Rating at last inspection and update

The last rating for this service was requires improvement (published 29 August 2018). There were four breaches of regulations. The provider completed an action plan after the last inspection to show what they would do and by when to improve. At this inspection we found improvements had been made and the provider was no longer in breach of regulations.

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.