Gittisham Hill House

Updated 26 February 2024

Gittisham Hill House is registered to provide accommodation for a maximum of 39 people who require nursing and personal care. The home is situated near Honiton, Devon. The service specialises in the care of older people, most of whom are living with dementia or memory loss. When we visited 33 people lived at the service. We looked at 3 key question areas (safe, caring and responsive) and 5 quality statements: safeguarding, involving people to manage risks, safe and effective staffing, independence, choice and control, and equity in experiences and outcomes. We met with most people living at the service and spoke to 7 in detail. We spoke with one relative during our visit and had feedback from 3 others. We had feedback from 4 visiting health and social care professionals. We spoke to 14 staff members including the manager, regional manager, nominated individual, care and nursing staff and other ancillary staff. We carried out our onsite inspection on 8 March 2024. Inspection activity started on 29 February 2024 and ended on 19 April 2024. The site visit was unannounced. The rating at our last inspection (published 12 December 2018) was good. The overall rating for this service remains good.

Updated 26 February 2024

People spoke positively about the caring and supportive nature of staff and described them as being 'helpful' and “polite and friendly”. People said they felt safe with staff. One person said, “They are wonderful. I trust them”. Relatives confirmed their confidence in the service and staff team. Comments included, “Observing the staff…they all seem to be patient, kind and responsive to the needs of the residents”. Risks to people’s health and well being had been identified and measures were in place to reduce risks. The provider and registered manager responded positively. where external professionals had identified areas for improvement ,or made suggestions or recommendations to improve the safety and quality of care. There were enough staff to ensure people’s needs and preferences were met. Staff were visible and present and had time to sit with people and engage with them in a meaningful way. A well-being team provided a programme of group and individual activities each day. Staff were recruited safely and undertook a wide range of training courses to equip them with the knowledge needed to carry out their roles. Staff encouraged people to maintain their independence, choice and control as far as possible. People told us routines were flexible and they could choose how and where to spend their day. We found the service was working within the principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) and if needed, appropriate legal authorisations were requested to deprive a person of their liberty.