Hambleton House

Updated 13 July 2023

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 Health and Social Care Act 2008.

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 2 inspectors.

Service and service type

Hambleton House is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing and/or personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement dependent on their registration with us. Hambleton House is a care home without nursing care. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

Registered Manager

This provider is required to have a registered manager to oversee the delivery of regulated activities at this location. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Registered managers and providers are legally responsible for how the service is run, for the quality and safety of the care provided and compliance with regulations.

At the time of our inspection there was not a registered manager in post.

Notice of inspection

This inspection was unannounced.

What we did before the inspection

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 the information the provider sent us in the provider information return (PIR). This is information providers are required to send us annually with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. We used all this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with 5 people living at the service and 3 relatives, to gain feedback on their experiences of using the service. We spoke with 8 staff including one of the directors and the acting managers. We reviewed a selection of records including 7 people's care files and multiple medication records. We looked at 4 staff files in relation to recruitment and reviewed the providers monitoring documents for staff training and supervisions for all staff. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures were examined.

We 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.

Updated 13 July 2023

We expect health and social care providers to guarantee people with a learning disability and autistic people respect, equality, dignity, choices and 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 supporting people with a learning disability and autistic people and providers must have regard to it.

About the service

Hambleton House is a residential care home providing personal care to up to 18 people. The service provides support to people with Learning Disabilities and Mental Health support needs. At the time of our inspection there were 17 people using the service. Not everyone who used the service received personal care. CQC only inspects where people receive personal care. This is help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do we also consider any wider social care provided.

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

Right Support: We identified some potential environmental risks. However, the provider told us what action was going to be taken to remove these risks. Some people’s care plans were missing information about risks related to their care needs. The provider immediately updated these care plans during our inspection.

We were mostly assured infection prevention and control was well managed at the service. Safe recruitment checks were in place and the provider obtained employment references to ensure staff were suitable. People were protected by an effective safeguarding system and people told us they felt safe. Staff were trained in safeguarding and understood how and when to raise concerns.

There was an effective system in place to monitor incidents. This was reviewed to identify themes and make service improvements. 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.

Right Care: People’s medicines records were well managed supporting safe medicines practices. People received their medicines as prescribed. Medicines were safely stored, and regular stock checks and audits took place.

There was consistent evidence that people’s health and wellbeing improved after they moved to the service. Key workers gained regular feedback from the people they supported regarding their likes and dislikes. People were supported to access treatment from health care professionals.

Right Culture: Some quality assurance systems were not always effective. The provider described what they would do to improve their quality oversight systems. There was a good rage of skills across the management team and directors, creating an effective and dynamic team. Feedback about the directors and management team was positive and staff were clear about their roles and responsibilities.

We observed positive and friendly interactions between staff and residents. The provider sought involvement from the local authority to support people to achieve good outcomes.

The provider understood their legal responsibilities in relation to duty of candour. The provider was open and forthcoming during the inspection and demonstrated commitment to the staff and residents at the service.

There was an effective on call system in place to provide staff with managerial support out of hours. Regular staff and resident meetings took place to encourage people to provide feedback. There was an effective system in place that supported staff development and continuous learning.

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 good (published 3 March 2020)

Why we inspected

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.

We received concerns in relation to the management of people’s finances, the management of medicines, and staff conduct. As a result, we undertook a focused inspection to review the key questions of Safe and Well-led only. We found no evidence during this inspection that people were at risk of harm from these concerns.

The overall rating for the service has remained good. For those key questions not inspected, we used the ratings awarded at the last inspection to calculate the overall rating.

Please see the Safe and Well-led sections of this full report.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.