The Hermitage Care Home

Updated 1 March 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

This inspection was carried out by 3 inspectors 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 care service.

Service and service type

The Hermitage Care Home 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. The Hermitage Care Home 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 a registered manager in post.

Notice of inspection

This inspection was unannounced.

What we did before the inspection

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 also reviewed feedback we had received from the local authority. We used all this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with 8 people who use the service and 5 relatives. We spoke with 12 members of staff including the registered manager, administrator, domestic staff, and care staff. We also spoke with the nominated individual. The nominated individual is responsible for supervising the management of the service on behalf of the provider.

We looked at 4 people’s care files and 10 people’s medicine administration records (MAR). 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. We also looked at a variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures.

Updated 1 March 2023

About the service

The Hermitage Care Home is a residential care home providing personal care to up to 30 people. The service provides support to older people and those living with dementia and or mental health needs. At the time of our inspection there were 28 people using the service. The service historically only offered placements to females. The new providers have respected this decision and the service continues to only support females.

People have access to accommodation on one level. Most bedrooms had en-suite facilities. The home is near local shops and people have access to outside space. People share a large open plan lounge and dining area.

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

The new provider of this service has made significant changes since taking over the service. Improvements had been made to the accommodation and the overall safety of the care people received. We found more personalised care was needed however the provider was aware of this and had plans to improve this area in the future.

People were supported by sufficient staff who received training to support them in their role. Staff had access to detailed care plans that explained the care people needed. Risks to people’s safety were mitigated and people received their medicine as prescribed.

The home was clean, and the risk of infection was reduced by effective infection, prevention and control measures being followed. People’s healthcare needs were met, and people had access to a balanced diet. We questioned the length of time meals times took as some people were seated at the table for a long period of time. The provider told us this was an area they will review with staff to see how this can be improved.

People were treated with kindness and referred to others in the home as a family. People’s dignity was preserved, and people were encouraged to be involved in decisions about their care.

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.

The team worked alongside others to ensure people’s needs were met and referrals were made to other agencies when needed. People were given information in a format they could understand and supported to maintain relationships which were important to them.

People did have access to activities. However, these were often in communal settings and people told us they would like to be able to do more. Staff were trained to support people with learning disabilities, but some staff wanted more support with keeping people active.

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. We considered this guidance as there were people using the service who have a learning disability and or who are autistic.

The provider had a vision for the home and worked alongside the registered manager to make the necessary changes. People and staff described the new management team as approachable and were confident issues would be resolved. Good governance systems were in place and the provider has a process for ensuring lessons were learnt when things went wrong, and the information was shared.

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 03 December 2021and this is the first inspection. The last rating for the service under the previous provider was inadequate, published on 06 July 2021.

Why we inspected

This inspection was prompted by a review of the information we held about this service.

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, which will help inform when we next inspect.