HSN Care (Bricket Wood)

Updated 25 August 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.

Inspection team

This inspection was carried out by two inspectors.

Service and service type

HSN Care [Bricket Wood] is a care home. People in care homes receive accommodation and personal care. 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 comprehensive inspection took place on 04 August 2021 and was unannounced.

What we did before the inspection

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. We reviewed information we had received about the service since they registered with us. This included any significant incidents that occurred at the service. We also contacted the local authority commissioning and safeguarding teams. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We met all twelve people who used the service. However, people living at the service were unable to tell us their views and experiences of the care provided so we carried out observations during the inspection where this was possible of how staff engaged with people. We spoke with the registered manager, deputy manager and two staff members.

We reviewed a range of records. This included three people's care and medicines records and three staff files in relation to recruitment and training.

We also reviewed records related to the management of the service, which included incident reports, quality assurance checks and minutes of team and management meetings.

After the inspection

We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found We looked at records related to the management of the service, which included training information, incident reports, quality assurance records and minutes of team and management meetings.

We received feedback from seven people’s relatives on 06 August 2021 and provided feedback via phone call to the registered manager on 17 August 2021.

Updated 25 August 2021

About the service:

HSN Care [Bricket Wood] is a residential care home that was providing residential care for 12 people with learning or physical disabilities.

People's experience of using this service:

People were cared for safely by a staff team who knew how to keep them safe from harm. Relatives said people were safe with one telling us, “The culture has changed completely since the last inspection and a good, open and safe culture is now embedded.” Incidents were reported which triggered a review of people’s care and where necessary were reported to the local authority. People benefitted from shared learning from incidents which supported safe care.

People’s health needs were safely met because assessments identified the key risks to their health and wellbeing. Plans were in place to manage and support people's needs, and staff were aware of how to respond. People received their medicines as prescribed and staff along with the GP and other professionals regularly reviewed people’s changing needs.

People were supported by sufficient numbers of staff who also felt supported, appreciated and valued in their role, especially through challenging periods during the COVID-19 pandemic. Staff supported people in the home well through COVID-19 and followed appropriate guidance in relation to infection prevention.

People were supported by a staff team who had received training to care for them with confidence and experience. People only received care when a comprehensive assessment was completed to assure staff that their needs could be met.

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible. The policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

We expect health and social care providers to guarantee autistic people and people with a learning disability the choices, dignity, independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted. Right support, right care, right culture is the statutory guidance which supports CQC to make assessments and judgements about services providing support to people with a learning disability and/or autistic people.

The service was able to demonstrate how they were meeting the underpinning principles of Right support, right care, right culture. The service was person centred and developed specifically for people to be closer to their families. People were supported to access their local community and were able to develop meaningful friendships with people. Care focused strongly on people's human rights supported by positive behaviour support plans which enabled staff to understand how to provide safe and person-centred care.

People and their relatives were given opportunities to feedback about the service and the provider had put measures in place to address any issues and make improvements to people's care.

Leadership was now visible and accountable across the service with staff and relatives all positive about the improvements. The quality of care found at this inspection was underpinned by the values and ethos of the registered manager, supported by a robust system of governance to monitor the care provided.

Rating at last inspection:

The last rating for this service was requires improvement (published 25 May 2019).

Why we inspected:

This comprehensive inspection was planned based upon the findings from our previous inspection. At that inspection we found one breach of regulation and rated the service ‘Requires Improvement.’

At this inspection we found the provider had made the necessary improvement and was no longer in breach of regulation.

Follow up:

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service. If we receive any concerning information we may return to inspect.