West Heath House

Updated 1 October 2021

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 Care Act 2014.

As part of this inspection we looked at the infection control and prevention measures in place. This was conducted so we can understand the preparedness of the service in preventing or managing an infection outbreak, and to identify good practice we can share with other services.

Inspection team

The inspection was undertaken by one inspector.

Service and service type

West Heath House is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

The service had a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. This means that they and the provider are legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided.

Notice of inspection

This inspection was unannounced.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. 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. This is information providers are required to send us with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. This information helps support our inspections. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with four people who used the service and received feedback from three relatives about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with nine members of staff including members of the clinical team, the registered manager, and care workers.

We reviewed a range of records. This included four people’s care records and multiple medication records. We looked at two staff files in relation to recruitment and staff supervision. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures were reviewed.

Updated 1 October 2021

About the service

West Heath House is a residential care home providing rehabilitation and personal care to seven people who have sustained a brain injury. The service can support up to 24 people. Within the home, there were flats for people to use as and when they developed more independent skills and were getting ready to move on from the service

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

The leadership and the culture they created drove high-quality, person-centred care. The vision and values of the home were person centred, empowering, inclusive and imaginative. There were consistently high levels of constructive engagement with people and staff to enable people to achieve their goals.

Mental capacity assessments had been undertaken and deprivation of liberty safeguards had been applied where needed. People’s needs were assessed prior to receiving rehabilitation at the home. The home was fully accessible for people who used wheelchairs.

Medicines were managed safely. Recruitment was undertaken safely. We were assured of good infection prevention control practices regarding COVID-19. People and their relatives told us they felt safe. Care plans and risk assessments identified people’s individual support needs and ways to help people stay safe.

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.

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 November 2019).

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.

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.

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.