Hillcroft

Updated 20 June 2019

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 planned this inspection to check 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.

Inspection team

This inspection was carried out by two inspectors.

Service and service type

Hillcroft 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.

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 had previous sent us in the provider information return (PIR). 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.

During the inspection

During the inspection we spoke with the registered manager, two staff members and one visiting practitioner. We observed the interactions between people and staff and spoke briefly with two people. We reviewed the support plans of three people and other documentation relating to the service such as audits, surveys, medicines records and information on accidents and incidents.

After the inspection

We continued to seek clarification from the provider to corroborate evidence found. We spoke with four relatives to obtain their feedback on the care their family member was receiving.

Updated 20 June 2019

About the service

Hillcroft is a care home which provides personal and nursing care in one adapted building for up to 10 people with a learning disability including autism. At the time of our inspection, there were nine people living at Hillcroft.

The service is a large home, bigger than most domestic style properties. It is registered for the support of up to 10 people. This is larger than current best practice guidance. However, the size of the service did not have a negative impact on people. This was because the building design fitted into the local residential area. Staff were also not wearing anything that suggested they were care staff when coming and going out with people.

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

People were cared for by staff who were attentive and knew them well and staff who demonstrated an empathetic approach towards people. People received the medicines they required and had access to health care professional input when needed. Staff helped to ensure people lived a healthy lifestyle by offering suitable foods and encouraging people to take exercise.

People were cared for by a sufficient number of staff which enabled them to access the activities of their choice when they wished to. Staff showed people respect and dignity and allowed them privacy when they wished it.

People were encouraged to make their own choices in relation to their care, this was both in how they liked to spend their day and what they wished to eat.

People were supported to have 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.

The principles and values of Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance ensure people with a learning disability and or autism who use a service can live as full a life as possible and achieve the best outcomes that include control, choice and independence. At this inspection the provider had ensured they were applied.

The outcomes for people using the service reflected the principles and values of Registering the Right Support by promoting choice and control, independence and inclusion. People's support focused on them having opportunities to gain new skills and become more independent.

People were cared for by staff who felt supported and who had received appropriate training.

People, their relatives, visitors and staff were given the opportunity to contribute their ideas and feedback into how the service was run. Staff continually looked at ways to improve the service provided and worked in conjunction with external agencies for the benefit of people.

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

Rating at last inspection

At the last inspection we gave the service a rating of requires improvement (published 8 June 2018). We issued recommendations to the registered provider in relation to staffing levels, medicines, records and supporting the registered manager.

Following the last inspection, we asked the provider to complete an action plan to show what they would do and by when to improve. At this inspection we found the necessary improvements had been made.

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor intelligence 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.