We carried out a review of the data available to us about Highclere Care Home on 6 July 2023. We have not found evidence that we need to carry out an inspection or reassess our rating at this stage.
This could change at any time if we receive new information. We will continue to monitor data about this service.
If you have concerns about Highclere Care Home, you can give feedback on this service.
We found the following examples of good practice.
Safe arrangements were in place for professional visitors to the service. This included temperature checks, lateral flow testing, risk and health questionnaires, hand sanitisation and wearing a mask.
Isolation, cohorting and zoning was used to manage the spread of infection. This meant that people self-isolated in their rooms which were all en-suite when necessary. Staff were allocated to work on one floor to reduce movement across different floors.
Enhanced cleaning and disinfection took place to reduce the risk infection spread. There were sufficient numbers of housekeeping staff who completed checklists to record and monitor cleaning tasks.
There were sufficient supplies of personal protective equipment (PPE) including masks, gloves, aprons and hand sanitiser available. Staff had received training in infection prevention and control, PPE including donning and doffing and hand hygiene.
PPE was kept in and near people’s rooms for staff to easily access when they were supporting people with personal care. PPE was disposed of safely in clinical waste bins which helped reduce the risk of cross contamination.
A regular programme of testing for COVID-19 was in place for staff and people who lived in the service. This meant swift action could be taken if any positive results were received.
Infection prevention and control audits took place which ensured the registered manager had oversight of all aspects of infection control. Policies, procedures and risk assessments related to COVID-19 were up to date which supported staff to keep people safe.
The registered manager had a comprehensive tracker to keep oversight of staff and people using the service isolation periods, testing and vaccines.
You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the 'all reports' link for Highclere Care Home on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.
Highclere Care Home is a residential care home providing accommodation and personal and nursing support for up to 40 people. It also supports people living with dementia. At the time of our inspection there were 29 people using the service.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
People received safe care and were protected against avoidable harm, neglect and discrimination. Risks to people’s safety were assessed and strategies were put in place to reduce the risks.
People received support from staff who had undergone a robust recruitment process. They were supported by regular live-in staff who knew them and their needs well, which promoted continuity of care. People’s medicines were safely managed. Systems were in place to control and prevent the spread of infection.
People’s needs and choices were fully assessed before they received a care package. Staff received an induction and ongoing training which enabled them to have the skills and knowledge to provide effective care.
People were supported to eat and drink enough to maintain their health and well-being. Staff supported people to live healthier lives and access healthcare services.
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 had a welcoming atmosphere where visitors were welcomed and encouraged. Staff provided care and support in a caring and meaningful way. They knew the people who used the service well and had built up kind and compassionate relationships with them.
People and relatives, where appropriate, were involved in the planning of people’s care and support. People's privacy and dignity were always maintained.
Care plans were detailed and supported staff to provide personalised care. People were encouraged to take part in a variety of activities and interests of their choice. There was a complaints procedure in place and systems to deal with complaints effectively. The service provided appropriate end of life care to people when required.
There was a new manager in post who was going through the registration process with the Care Quality Commission. They were committed to the continuous improvement of the service and the care provided. The provider had completed an action plan for the service based on a local authority monitoring visit. This had been fully completed and improvements had been made.
There were systems in place to monitor the quality of the service and actions were taken, and improvements were made when required. The service worked in partnership with outside agencies. Staff, people using the services and relatives were encouraged to provide feedback which was analysed and acted upon to drive improvements.
Rating at last inspection
The last rating for this service was Good (published 06 March 2018).
Why we inspected
This was a planned inspection based on the rating at the last inspection.
Follow up
We will return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.
Highclere Care Home is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as single package under one contractual agreement. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.
Highclere care home provides accommodation and personal care including nursing care in a purpose built building. The location is registered to provide care for up to 40 people including older people and people living with dementia. At the time of our inspection 34 people were in residence at the home.
This is the first comprehensive inspection since the provider registered with the Care Quality Commission in January 2017.
There was a registered manager in post. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. 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.
People were safeguarded from harm as the provider had effective systems in place to prevent, recognise and report concerns to the relevant authorities. Staff knew how to recognise harm and were knowledgeable about the steps they should take if they were concerned that someone may be at risk.
Staff knew their responsibilities as defined by the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA 2005) and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) and had applied that knowledge appropriately. Staff understood the importance of obtaining people's consent when supporting them with their daily living needs.
People experienced caring relationships with staff and good interaction was evident, as staff took time to listen and understand what people needed.
There were sufficient numbers of experienced staff that were supported to carry out their roles to meet the assessed needs of people living at the home. Staff received training in areas that enabled them to understand and meet the care needs of each person. Recruitment procedures protected people from receiving unsafe care from care staff unsuited to the role.
People's care and support needs were continually monitored and reviewed to ensure that care was provided in the way that they needed. People or their representative had been involved in planning and reviewing their care and plans of care were in place to guide staff in delivering their care and support. Care plans and other documents were developed in people's preferred communication format in line with the Accessible Information Standard.
People's health and well-being was monitored by staff and they were supported to access health professionals in a timely manner when they needed to. People were supported to have sufficient amounts to eat and drink to maintain a balanced diet.
People were supported to take their medicines as prescribed. Medicines were obtained, stored, administered and disposed of safely. People were supported to maintain good health and had access to healthcare services when needed.
Staff had received training in infection control and followed the providers policies and procedures to minimise the spread of infection.
People's needs were met in line with their individual care plans and assessed needs. Staff took time to get to know people and ensured that people's care was tailored to their individual needs.
Staff responded to complaints promptly and in line with the provider's policy. Staff and people were confident that issues would be addressed and that any concerns they had would be listened to and acted upon.
People were supported by a team of staff that had the managerial guidance and support they needed to carry out their roles. The quality of the service was monitored through the regular audits carried out by the management team and provider.
The service was well run by a registered manager who had the skills and experience to run the home so people received high quality person-centred care. The registered manager led a team of staff who shared their commitment to high standards of care and clear vision of the type of home they hoped to create for people.