Background to this inspection
Updated
17 February 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 completed by two inspectors.
Service and service type
Heathcotes Chesterfield (Loundsley 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
The provider was not asked to complete a provider information return prior to this inspection. This is information we require providers to send us to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We took this into account when we inspected the service and made the judgements in this report. 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 all of this information to plan our inspection.
During the inspection
We spoke with two people who used the service about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with three members of staff including the registered manager and quality lead. 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.
After the inspection
We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found. We looked at training data and quality assurance records. We received written feedback from three professionals who regularly visit the service. We made telephone calls to three relatives and four staff.
Updated
17 February 2021
About the service
About the service
Heathcotes Chesterfield (Loundsley House) is a residential care home for people with learning disabilities, and/or autism and complex mental health needs. The care is provided in a purpose-built home for eight people. There were seven people living at the home at the time of our inspection.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
The provider had made many improvements however some were not yet fully embedded to provide us with assurances to support sustainability. These were in respect of audits of the home and the continued risk management.
Relatives and professionals had reflected on the improvements, however they felt further improvements could be developed in relation to communication.
Staff had been recruited to the service, however not all the required employment checks had been completed to provide assurances about staff being suitable to work with people.
The culture of the home had been improved and reflected the principles in relation to Right support, right care, right culture. 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 guidance CQC follows 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 some of the underpinning principles of Right support, right care, right culture. People were supported to make decisions about the care they received and how they spent their time. Prior to COVID 19 community links had been established and these will be returned to once the restrictions allow.
People received personalised care in an improved homely environment, which had been refurbished in consultation with the people using the service. People were encouraged to make choices about their diet, activities and how they spent their day.
There were sufficient staff to support people and staff now felt supported and received regular supervision for their role. Training had been improved to provide staff with the required skills.
Staff understood how to raise a safeguarding alert or concern. Any received had been investigated and any outcomes had been used to make improvements to people’s safety. Risk assessments had been completed to ensure measures were put in place to mitigate the risks. Referrals were made to obtain health and social care advice and we saw this was recorded and followed. Medicines were managed safely to ensure people received their prescribed medicine.
Relationships had been maintained through the use of technology and outside visits. Social stories had also been used to ensure continued family connections.
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 provider had worked in partnership with health and social care professionals, we saw improvements had been made and lessons had been learnt.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk
Rating at last inspection
The last rating for this service was Inadequate (published 8 September 2020)
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.
This service has been in Special Measures since 19 February 2020. During this inspection the provider demonstrated that improvements have been made. The service is no longer rated as inadequate overall or in any of the key questions. Therefore, this service is no longer in Special Measures.
Why we inspected
We undertook this focused inspection to check the provider had followed their action plan and to confirm they now met legal requirements. This report only covers our findings in relation to the Key Questions Safe and Well-led which contain those requirements.
The ratings from the previous comprehensive inspection for those key questions not looked at on this occasion were used in calculating the overall rating at this inspection. The overall rating for the service has changed from Inadequate to Requires Improvement. This is based on the findings at this inspection.
You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for on our website at www.cqc.org.uk. 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.