Spinney Hill House

Updated 21 December 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

This inspection was carried out by one inspector.

Service and service type

Spinney Hill 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

We gave the service 24 hours’ notice of the inspection. This was because the service is small and people are often out and we wanted to be sure there would be people at home to speak with us.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service. We sought feedback from the local authority and Healthwatch Northamptonshire, Healthwatch is an independent consumer champion that gathers and

represents the views of the public about health and social care services in England. 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. This information helps support our inspections. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with two people who used the service and two relatives about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with five members of staff including the registered manager, deputy manager and three support workers. We visited the service on a second day to assure ourselves the quality of the service had remained the same as the first date of the inspection.

We reviewed a range of records. This included three people’s care records and multiple medication records. We looked at three 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 quality assurance records and feedback received from contract monitoring visits. We spoke with one professional who regularly visits the service.

Updated 21 December 2021

About the service

Spinney Hill House is a residential care home providing accommodation and personal care for up to three people. The service is registered to support younger adults with learning disabilities, autistic spectrum disorder and mental health. At the time of the inspection there were three people living in the home.

People’s experience of using this service and what we found

Spinney Hill House was exceptional at placing people at the heart of the service. The managers and staff of the service had a strong focus on people having as many opportunities as possible to develop their confidence, gain new skills and become as independent as they could.

There was a positive and empowering culture established within the service. This meant people were supported by exceptionally caring and attentive staff that knew them well and helped them to achieve their potential. People were encouraged to live as full a life as possible and supported to achieve the best possible outcomes.

Staff had formed positive relationships with people they supported and looked for ways to develop their independence. Care was person-centred and delivered by committed and dedicated staff. Care and support was designed by people, relatives, the staff team and external professionals collaboratively.

Staff were very caring and knowledgeable about how best to communicate with people and to advocate for them to ensure their views were heard. There was a strong culture within the service of treating people with dignity and respect and staff spent time getting to know people and their specific needs before they provided them with care and support.

Staff received outstanding support from the management team both at a professional and personal level. Staff had completed high quality training that ensured they were confident and competent at delivering person centred care. Staff were encouraged and supported to develop their skills and follow a career progression within the service. The provider ensured their practices were in line with current good practice, guidance and legislation. There was a focus on continuous development.

Staff and the management team were passionate and motivated about their roles and understood their responsibilities. They actively engaged and included people, their relatives and professionals in the ongoing design and delivery of their care and support.

There were comprehensive systems in place to make sure the service was safe. People were empowered to take positive risks, to ensure they had greater choice and control of their lives. The positive risk-taking approach showed staff respected people's right for independence and their right to take risks.

People were fully involved and supported to recruit staff. This ensured that successful applicants had the right values and skills to match the values that were at the heart of the service.

People were supported to have their nutritional needs met. Healthcare needs were met, and people had access to health professionals as required. Care plans outlined any support people required to manage their healthcare needs.

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.

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 home was situated in a residential area, with no signs from the exterior that it was a care home. People were supported to be as independent as possible and encouraged and supported to make their own decisions and choices. People had either private rooms or flats and staff were respectful of people's privacy and dignity. People were supported with job applications and empowered to challenge legal restrictions if they wished to.

Right support:

• Model of care and setting maximises people's choice, control and independence

Right care:

• Care is person-centred and promotes people's dignity, privacy and human rights

Right culture:

• Ethos, values, attitudes and behaviours of leaders and care staff ensure people using services lead confident, inclusive and empowered lives

For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk

Rating at last inspection. This service was registered with us on 27/02/2020 and this is the first inspection.

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.

We looked at infection prevention and control measures under the Safe key question. We look at this in all care home inspections even if no concerns or risks have been identified. This is to provide assurance that the service can respond to COVID-19 and other infection outbreaks effectively.

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.