We carried out a review of the data available to us about The Hawthorns 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 The Hawthorns, you can give feedback on this service.
We found the following examples of good practice.
• There were procedures in place to ensure visitors wouldn’t catch or spread coronavirus when they entered the home.
• The home was visibly clean throughout and the provider had ensured there were enhanced cleaning schedules that included more frequent cleaning of high touch areas.
• People who moved into the home did so after a negative coronavirus test and followed guidance to isolate for 14 days.
• Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) was used safely.
• The registered manager and head of care had implemented a strategy to ensure people received safe care if they did experience and outbreak of coronavirus in the home.
Further information is in the detailed findings below.
People’s experience of using this service: The service continued to meet the characteristics of Good in all areas.
People continued to receive care that was safe. The provider’s arrangements for people’s care helped to protect them people the risk of harm or abuse. The provider took action when things went wrong at the service and referred to relevant authorities involved with people’s care when required to do so.
Staff were safely recruited and deployed to provide people’s care. Risks to people’s health, associated with their care and related safety needs, were effectively monitored and managed. Staff supported people to take their medicines safely when required. Relevant management checks of staff care practice and competency helped to ensure people’s safety when they received care.
People continued to received care that was effective. People’s care needs were effectively accounted for in consultation with them or their representative. Staff supported people to maintain or improve their health and nutrition as agreed with them and any external health professionals involved in their care
People were supported to have maximum control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible. The provider’s related policies and systems supported this practice. Staff were trained, informed, supported and worked closely with other care providers or agencies to share relevant information about people’s care when needed . This helped to ensure people received consistent and informed care, which they had agreed to.
People continued to receive care from kind, caring staff who treated them with respect and ensured people’s dignity, equality and rights in their care. Staff knew people well; how to communicate with them and understood what was important to people them for their care. People were informed, involved and supported to understand, agree and make ongoing decisions about their care.
People continued to receive timely, personalised care that was tailored to their individual needs and wishes. Care was agreed and provided in a way that helped to optimise people’s independence, autonomy and inclusion in home life and the local community as they chose.
Staff were effectively informed and supported to provide personal care for people living with a life limited illness or at the end stage of life.
People were confident and knew how, to raise a concern or make a complaint if they needed to. People’s views and feedback were regularly sought. Findings from complaints and feedback were used to help inform and ensure any service improvements needed.
Staff were effectively informed and supported to provide personal care for people living with a life limited illness or at the end stage of life.
The provider operated effective governance systems to help ensure the quality and safety of people’s care, including sustained, timely service improvement when needed. Management and staff understood their role and responsibilities for people’s care. Operational management arrangements helped to ensure effective record keeping, safe information handling and timely communication, engagement and partnership working with relevant parties for people’s care.
Remedial management action was in progress following a potential breach of confidentiality and to foster good team working in response to an area of staff feedback.
More information is in the full report.
Rating at last inspection: At our last inspection we rated the service as Good. The report of that inspection was published in April 2016.
Why we inspected: This was a planned inspection to make sure the service remained Good.
Follow up: ongoing monitoring; possibly more about how we will follow up
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk
This inspection took place 15 December 2015 and was unannounced. The last inspection took place in January 2014 when we found it to be meeting all the regulations we reviewed.
The service is registered to provide accommodation with personal care for up to 34 older people. There were 29 people living in the service on the day of our inspection. The service provides care and support for older people, with a range of medical and age related conditions, including mobility issues, diabetes and dementia
At the time of our inspection there was a registered manager in place. 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.
We saw that people were well supported by a staff team who were knowledgeable about the needs of people and understood their individual needs. We observed that staff were kind and friendly and respectful of people’s individual needs.
Staff recruitment procedures were followed and pre-employment checks were carried out to ensure new staff were safe to work with vulnerable people.
We saw equipment was available throughout the service to ensure people with limited or no mobility had safe means of moving and transferring.
People, their relatives and staff we spoke with all felt there was enough staff available to meet people’s needs in a timely manner.
We saw a wide and varied range of activities were on offer. People were encouraged to remain active and participate in activities of their choice.
Families and friends were welcome to visit the home. People were encouraged to maintain relationships important to them.
Regular meetings took place to monitor the service and this gave people the opportunity to voice their opinions and feel valued. There was a complaints procedure which was available for people and their relatives.
We looked at how medicines were managed and found the service had a policy and procedure in place for staff to follow. Only staff who had received training could administer medicines.
A variety of training courses were available for staff to complete and this included safeguarding, safe moving and handling of people, infection control and fire safety.
We saw regular supervisions and appraisals were taking place so staff could discuss any personal learning and development needs they had along with personal progress.
Mealtimes were a social occasion. People told us they enjoyed the food that was provided. We saw a choice of menu was available and the food looked appetising and nutritious
We saw some refurbishment had taken place at the service. We saw bedroom doors had been painted and changed to look like front doors to houses. Memory boxes had been fitted to walls at the side of people’s bedroom doors.
The registered manager used effective systems to continually monitor and evaluate the quality of the service being provided. There were plans for on-going and continuous improvement.
We saw people were offered adequate and appropriate food and drinks. One person said, "The food here is good".
We reviewed the cleanliness and infection control arrangements within the home. We found the provider had implemented improved processes since our last inspection to protect the health of people living in the home and the staff working there.
There were recruitment processes in place which were designed to protect people from the recruitment of unsuitable staff.
The home had a complaints process in place. People and relatives told us they felt supported to raise any complaint or concern with the staff. One relative told us, "If I wasn't happy about something I'd speak to the staff. I know it would be sorted out straight away".
One person told us "I am happy here, the food is good." Another person said "The care is very good. There are plenty of activities for me to join in if I want to."
One member of staff said "I am very happy with the standard of care here."