We carried out a review of the data available to us about Halcon House on 6 July 2023. We have not found evidence that we need to carry out an inspection or reassess our rating at this stage.
This could change at any time if we receive new information. We will continue to monitor data about this service.
If you have concerns about Halcon House, you can give feedback on this service.
The home is a single storey building with level access to all areas. The building is able to accommodate 17 people in en-suite rooms and one person in a self-contained flat. At the time of the inspection there were 16 people at the home. Three of these people were staying for respite.
We found the following examples of good practice.
People were being supported by staff who had received training in infection prevention and control. Senior staff carried out observations to make sure staff were following safe practice.
People lived in a home which was kept clean and well maintained which helped to minimise the risks of infection.
People benefited from a provider who had systems to make sure people and staff had regular testing for COVID-19. This helped to keep people safe and enable people to continue to use the home for respite stays. One person who was staying for respite said they felt safe because of the testing.
The regular testing was also enabling people to continue with social activities outside the home. One person told us, “We all agreed to the testing regime to enable us to go out and about just like the staff do.”
People were being supported by staff who were wearing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) appropriately. Staff knew what to wear for different tasks and how to safely put on and take off their PPE. We observed that staff always wore face masks and people said staff who assisted them with personal care wore full PPE.
Throughout the pandemic people were able to safely stay in touch with friends and family. The home had followed government guidelines regarding care home visiting including building a wheelchair accessible visiting pod. The pod continued to be available for anyone who wished to use it. One person said “[Relatives’ name] can come here or I can go to visit them.”
People praised the staff at the home saying they worked in a way that helped them to feel safe. One person said, “I feel genuinely happy and safe here.”
Staff felt well supported by the management and the provider. Staff said that the registered manager had kept them up to date with all changes in guidance and had been supportive throughout. Staff also told us they had felt valued by the management and the provider. One member of staff said, “There was a bonus at Christmas, but also small acts of appreciation which have meant a lot.”
Halcon House is a residential care home registered to provide personal care to 18 people at any time. The service specialises in providing long term and respite care to people with complex physical disabilities. The home is a single storey building with level access to all areas.
At the time of the inspection 11 people were living at the home and 7 people were receiving respite care. Throughout the year approximately 50 people used the service for respite breaks.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
Since the last inspection the provider had maintained the high standards of care and support people received and constantly looked for ways to introduce further improvements. This had included embracing technology to promote people’s independence and addressing issues raised by people and staff.
People’s feedback about the service and the way it was managed was, without exception, extremely positive. Comments included; “In eight years I’ve never lived anywhere like it. They don’t just do personal care, it’s so much more than that. I love it,” “It’s still as outstanding as it always was, probably even better” and “I wouldn’t go anywhere else. [Registered manager’s name] makes it special.”
Visitors also unanimously praised the service provided. One visitor said, “You couldn’t find better care anywhere. Staff don’t just come here to do a job, it’s a diamond service.” Another visitor told us, “It’s opened a whole new life for [person’s name]. If they can do it, they will. [Registered manager’s name] can’t do enough for us all, day or night. His passion is totally inspiring.”
Although people using the service were living with complex physical health needs and disabilities staff had a ‘can do’ attitude which enabled people to have a good quality of life. People were able to continue to take part in hobbies and had access to a wide range of leisure pursuits. This included holidays in Britain and abroad.
Staff were happy in their jobs which created a happy atmosphere for people. Throughout the inspection there was laughter and good-humoured banter. People’s friends and families were considered a large and important part of people’s lives. Friends and family were always included in events and day to day care if they chose to be. People who used Halcon House for respite and family members said they thought of it as their ‘Second home.’
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.
People remained in control of the care and support they received and were consulted on all aspects of their lives. People told us that staff respected them as individuals and always respected their wishes.
People received their care from staff who had an excellent knowledge of their needs and had the skills required to effectively support them. Staffing levels and training were responsive to people’s changing and complex needs.
People were cared for by a consistent staff team who they had built trusting relationships with. One person told us, “I don’t feel I am being looked after, I just feel at home.” Another person told us, “Their kindness and empathy is beyond anything I could have expected. The staff have become friends.”
People could be confident at the end of their lives they would be cared for with compassion and their wishes and values would be respected. People’s families and friends were fully supported by staff at times of bereavement.
The registered manager and senior staff team led by example to ensure high standards of care were provided to people. Staff worked in a way that was non-judgemental and respected people as individuals. Staff valued people’s opinions and took action to put people’s suggestions into practice.
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 Outstanding (published 25 July 2017).
Why we inspected
This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.
At the last inspection in March 2015, the service was rated Good.
There is a registered manager in post. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission 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.
Halcon House provided a service to a constantly changing group of people whose needs were varied and complex. However everyone we spoke with felt their needs were met and everyone said they felt valued regardless of their abilities. One person said, “Everyone is accepted for who they are.” Another person told us they felt part of a large family. They said, “People say there’s no place like home. I say there’s no place like Halcon.”
There was a very happy atmosphere in the home and laughter could be heard throughout the building. People were extremely comfortable with the staff who supported them and people engaged in friendly banter with each other and staff.
The registered manager promoted an ethos of equality and inclusion which helped to give people a sense of belonging and self-worth. Staff worked hard to break down barriers between staff and people using the service to make sure everyone felt valued. One person said, “I don’t think of it as a care home. It’s just home.”
The registered manager, staff team and the provider were committed to providing a high standard of care to people. They listened to people’s views and suggestions and acted on these wherever possible. People spoke extremely highly of the service and the staff. We asked one person how the service could be improved and they told us, “You can’t improve on perfection.”
Staff at the home received training which ensured they were skilled and competent to meet people’s complex needs. Staff had specialist skills which helped to promote people’s choice and control over their care and treatment. One person said, “They know us all really well and they know how to do things properly.” A visitor said, “The staff are absolutely marvellous they cope wonderfully with everything.”
Risk assessments were carried out in partnership with people to enable people to maintain their independence with minimum risk to themselves or others. People felt safe at the home and with the staff who supported them. One person said, “I couldn’t really feel safer.”
There were sufficient numbers of staff to meet people needs in an unhurried manner. People told us they never felt rushed and staff always had time to talk and listen.
This inspection was unannounced and took place on 26 March 2015.
Halcon House provides care and support to people who have a physical disability and/or sensory loss. The home is able to accommodate up to 18 people. Seven people live permanently at the home and over 80 people use the service for short respite breaks. At the time of the inspection there were 16 people using the service.
There is a registered manager in post. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission 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 who used the service thought there was an open culture which enabled them to share their views and raise concerns. People said they felt respected and valued as a person. One person said “You couldn’t improve this place. The positive attitude comes from the top and filters all the way down.”
Care was personalised to people’s individual needs and wishes and there were opportunities to share their views through meetings, taking part in staff interviews, care plan reviews and on-going discussions with staff. People told us they continued to make decisions about their care and were able to make choices about all aspects of their day to day lives.
People spoke very highly about the staff who supported them. More than one person said they thought of Halcon House as a home from home. One person said “It’s like staying with family. I couldn’t be better cared for if it was my family providing the care.” Another person told us “They care about me.”
Everyone who lived or stayed at the home had a single room and their privacy was respected. People said they were always able to see visitors in private and staff respected their right to confidentiality.
Staff felt well supported and had opportunities to take part in up to date training to make sure they had the skills needed to effectively support people. People using the service felt staff had the appropriate skills and experience to meet their needs.
People had access to healthcare professionals according to their individual needs. People who lived at the home were registered with local doctor’s surgeries and the staff accessed healthcare professionals for those staying on a respite care basis when required.
People’s nutritional needs were assessed and met. The staff catered for people’s dietary preferences and made sure food was in line with their nutritional needs. People told us drinks and snacks were available throughout the day and night.
There were sufficient numbers of staff at all times to meet people’s needs in an unhurried and safe manner. People told us they never felt rushed and staff were always available when they needed them.
People’s medicines were safely administered by staff who had received training and had their competency assessed. Risk assessments were carried out with people who wished to administer their own medicines and these were regularly reviewed to ensure they remained safe to do so.
There was a thorough recruitment process which minimised the risks of abuse to people. New staff undertook an induction training programme and had opportunities to shadow more experienced staff to make sure they were confident and safe to carry out their roles.
People told us they felt safe at the home and with the staff who supported them. We observed a relaxed and friendly atmosphere with lots of laughter and friendly banter throughout our visit.
Everyone we spoke with was extremely complimentary about the care they received. Comments included; 'The care is fantastic, all the staff go over and above to make sure things are right' and 'Everything here is brilliant from the moment you come through the door you feel looked after.'
People were fully involved in all decisions about their care and treatment. People who were using the service told us that they were always consulted about the care and support they received. One person said 'I always do my care plan with the staff when I arrive but really I tell the staff what I want on a daily basis.'
Throughout our visit we noted that there was a calm, relaxed atmosphere in the home. People appeared very comfortable with the staff who supported them and all said that they could discuss any issues or concerns with a member of staff. One person said 'If you want to talk with a member of staff or the manager they always listen. They never brush you off or make light of your worries.'
We observed that staff working on the day of the inspection were competent and well-motivated.
There were systems in place to effectively monitor the quality of care and to identify and minimise risks to people.
People who used the service said that staff were always respectful and asked for their opinions and views about their care and how they wished to be assisted. One person said 'They write down how I like things done.' Another person told us 'They never do anything without my consent.'
Staff, and people who used the service, said there was adequate suitable equipment to meet their needs. This meant that people did not need to wait for equipment to become available before receiving support.
People said that they thought that there was always enough staff on duty to support them. One person said 'They never rush you and always have time to talk things over with you.' Another person told us 'You can do what you like really the staff just seem to fit in with you.'
On the day of the inspection the home was adequately staffed and we noted that all requests for assistance were responded to promptly. We also noted that staff had time to spend on a one to one basis with people who used the service.
People said that they would be comfortable to make a complaint and felt confident that it would be taken seriously and fully investigated. Comments included 'I would go to my key worker if anything was bothering me' and 'I did make a complaint once and things changed.'
People felt that they were able to make decisions about all aspects of their care and daily life. One person said 'Staff don't mind what you do, you can carry on the same routines that you had at home, they just fit in with it.'
Everyone said that their care plan was discussed with them and alterations were made in line with their changing needs and wishes. One person said 'I need full care from the staff and although I have a care plan that says exactly what I need and like, I can talk to staff at any time if I feel I would like things done differently. We don't always change the care plan because it may be just how I feel that day.'
People said that when they arrived at the home staff went through their care plan with them to make sure that they were happy with the content. One person said 'The care plan is yours, if you are not happy with something, or what you need has changed, we adjust it together.'
The home has put in place a new system to ensure that activities are arranged in line with people's interests and wishes. Each person is now asked at the beginning of their stay if there are any activities that they would like to take part in during the week. People said that staff tried to accommodate everyone's wishes but people appreciated that this was not always possible so they sometimes had to make compromises.
People who live permanently at the home are allocated one to one staff time each week to ensure that they are able to take part in activities of their choosing. One person living at the home said 'I say what I want and they help me to do it.'
People using the service said that they felt safe and that staff were always kind and respectful. One person said 'I always feel very safe when I come here, staff are all friendly and willing to listen to you but they are always professional.' Another person said 'The manager and staff are so approachable if anything was worrying me I would discuss it with one of them.'
People were very complimentary about the staff working at the home. People agreed that staff were friendly and professional in their approach. One person said 'Staff are well trained and they know what they are doing.'
People using the service were extremely happy with the care that they received. Comments included 'The care I get is a very high standard' and 'I'm very happy with the care I get when I'm here. Everything is very personal and staff remember the little things that you like so you feel quite special.'