Archived: Honister

Updated 15 April 2016

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 met 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 under the Care Act 2014.

This inspection took place on 21 March 2016 and was unannounced. The inspection was carried out by one inspector and an Expert by Experience. An Expert by Experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of service.

Before our inspection we reviewed information we held about the service including statutory notifications that had been submitted. Statutory notifications include information about important events which the provider is required to send us. Before the inspection, the provider completed a Provider Information Return (PIR). This is a form that asks the provider to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make.

During the inspection we observed staff support people who used the service, we spoke with five people who used the service, one relative, two care staff and the registered manager. Subsequent to the inspection we spoke with five relatives to obtain further feedback on how people were supported to live their lives.

We requested feedback from representatives of the local authority social working team and other external professionals involved with the care of people who used the service. We also used the Short Observational Framework for Inspection (SOFI). SOFI is a way of observing care to help us understand the experience of people who could not talk with us.

We reviewed care records relating to two people who used the service and other documents central to people’s health and well-being. These included staff training records, medication records and quality audits.

Updated 15 April 2016

The inspection took place on 21 March 2016 and was unannounced.

Honister is registered to provide accommodation and personal care for up to 19 people, who may also live with dementia. There were 16 people accommodated at the home at the time of this inspection.

We last inspected Honister on 15 January 2014 and found the service was meeting the required standards we inspected at that time.

The home had a registered manager. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) to manage the service. Like registered providers, they are ‘registered persons’. Registered persons have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

People felt safe living at Honister. Staff knew how to keep people safe and risks to people’s safety and well-being were identified and managed. The home was calm and people’s needs were met in a timely manner. The registered manager operated robust recruitment processes which helped to ensure that staff members employed to support people were fit to do so. People’s medicines were managed safely

Staff had the skills and knowledge necessary to provide people with safe and effective care and support. Staff received regular support from management which made them feel supported and valued. People were supported to make their own decisions as much as possible. People received support to eat and drink sufficient quantities. People’s health needs were well catered for because appropriate referrals were made to health professionals when needed.

People were complimentary about the care and kindness demonstrated by the staff team. Staff were knowledgeable about individual’s needs and preferences and people were involved in the planning of their care where they were able. Visitors to the home were encouraged at any time of the day and people’s privacy and dignity was promoted.

The registered manager had arrangements in place to receive feedback from people who used the service, their relatives, external stakeholders and staff members about the services provided. People were confident to raise anything that concerned them with staff or management and were satisfied that they would be listened to.

There was an open culture in the home and relatives and staff were comfortable to speak with the registered manager if they had a concern. The registered manager had arrangements in place to regularly monitor health and safety and the quality of the care and support provided for people who used the service.