Hipswell Highway

Updated 14 February 2019

The Inspection ¿ 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, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

The inspection team ¿ Consisted of an adult social care inspector.

Service and service type ¿ 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.

Hipswell Highway is a 'care home.' People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as single package under one contractual agreement. The Care Quality Commission (CQC) regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

The care service has been developed and designed in line with the values that underpin the Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. These values include choice, promotion of independence and inclusion. People with learning disabilities and autism using the service can live as ordinary a life as any citizen.

Notice of inspection ¿ This comprehensive inspection visit took place on 29 January 2019 and was announced. The provider was given 48 hours’ notice because the location provided care to five adults and we had to ensure people were available at the home.

What we did preparing for and carrying out this inspection ¿ Before our inspection we completed our planning; tool and reviewed the information we held on the service. This included notifications we had received from the provider, about incidents that affect the health, safety and welfare of people supported by the service and previous inspection reports.

We also checked to see if any information concerning the care and welfare of people supported by the service had been received. We contacted the local authority commissioning department who used the service. This helped us to gain a balanced overview of what people experienced accessing the service.

As part of the inspection we used information the provider sent us in the Provider Information Return. This is information we require providers to send us at least once annually to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make.

During the inspection visit we spoke with a range of people about Hipswell Highway. They included three people who lived at Hipswell Highway, a relative of a person and the registered manager. In addition, we spoke with the deputy manager and three staff members.

We looked at records relating to the management of the service. We did this to ensure the management team had oversight of the service and they could respond to any concerns highlighted or lead Hipswell Highway in ongoing improvements. We also looked at staffing levels and recruitment procedures for staff and focussed on how staff provided care within the home.

Updated 14 February 2019

What life is like for people using this service:

People who lived in the home and relatives felt confident in the management team and how the service operated. Staff were deployed to ensure they afforded people responsive and dignified support. Staffing levels were suitable for the needs of people and staff we spoke with confirmed this. This enabled people to maintain continuity of care and provided support for people to follow their choices in day to day living and the local community.

The management team had safe recruitment procedures to ensure staff were suitable to work with vulnerable adults. However, no new staff had been recruited since the registration of Hipswell Highway.

Staff responsible for assisting people with their medicines had received training to ensure they had the competency and skills required.

Risk assessments provided instructions for staff members when they delivered care for people supported within the home and when out in the community.

Care records we looked at were detailed and personalised to the person’s needs and wishes. There was evidence of a multi-disciplinary approach to create a detailed plan so that people who lived in the home had support from health and social care professionals.

People who lived at Hipswell Highway were treated with respect by caring staff. This was confirmed by people we spoke with who lived there and a relative. One person commented, “[Staff member] helps me get ready in my room when I am going out. They are so kind.”

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 discussed the principles of the MCA and consent with staff and found they had a good awareness.

We found the registered manager and the organisation had systems in place to ensure they met people’s diverse and cultural needs. Those who lived at the home and relatives told us people respected their customs and their way of life. Care records we looked at evidenced people and where appropriate relatives were fully included in their support planning.

The registered manager used a variety of methods to assess and monitor the quality of the service. These included staff meetings and auditing of the service. This enabled Hipswell Highway to be monitored and improve areas that were identified through their quality monitoring processes.

The service worked in partnership with other organisations to ensure they followed good practice and people in their care were safe.

There was a complaints procedure which was made available to people. Only one complaint had been received since their registration. We found this had been resolved to a satisfactory conclusion and in a timely approach.

More information is in Detailed Findings below.

Rating at last inspection:

This was a planned first inspection of the service since their registration with CQC.

About the service:

Hipswell Highway is a small home registered to provide accommodation for up to six adults with learning disabilities. The property is detached and provides single rooms for people. At the time of our visit there were five people who lived at the home.

Why we inspected:

This was a planned first inspection of the service since their registration with CQC.

Follow up:

We will continue to monitor intelligence we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme or if any issues or concerns are identified.