Archived: Heyhead House

Updated 27 April 2018

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 is meeting 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 for the service under the Care Act 2014.

This inspection took place on 20 and 21 March 2018 and was announced. We gave the service 24 hours’ notice of the inspection visit because the service is a small care home for younger adults who are often out during the day. We needed to be sure that they would be in. The inspection was carried out by one adult social care inspector.

Before the inspection, the provider completed a Provider Information Return (PIR). This is a form the provider completes to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. The provider returned the PIR within the agreed timeframe and we took the information provided into account when we made the judgements in this report.

Prior to the inspection we reviewed the information we held about the service such as notifications, complaints and safeguarding information. A notification is information about important events which the service is required to send us by law. We also obtained the local authority commissioning team’s views about the service.

During the inspection we spoke with the registered manager, one support staff and with four people who used the service. On the second day of the inspection, we spoke with a further member of staff and with two relatives on the telephone.

We looked at three people’s care records and other associated documentation, two staff recruitment and induction records, staff rotas, training and supervision records, minutes from meetings, complaints and compliments records, medication records, maintenance certificates and development plans, policies and procedures and quality assurance audits.

Updated 27 April 2018

We carried out an announced inspection of Heyhead House on 20 and 21 March 2018.

Heyhead House is registered to provide accommodation and personal care for eight adults who have a Learning Disability. The service does not provide nursing care. The care service had been developed and designed in line with the values that underpin the Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. These values include choice, promotion of independence and inclusion to ensure people with learning disabilities and autism can live as ordinary a life as any citizen. At the time of the inspection, there were eight people using the service.

At our last inspection we rated the service good. At this inspection we found the evidence continued to support the rating of good and there was no evidence or information from our inspection and ongoing monitoring that demonstrated serious risks or concerns. This inspection report is written in a shorter format because our overall rating of the service has not changed since our last inspection.

We observed people were treated with kindness, care and respect. Staff understood their responsibilities to safeguard people from abuse. There were appropriate arrangements in place in relation to the safe storage, receipt, administration and disposal of medicines. New staff were recruited safely.

Risks to people's health, welfare and safety were managed well. However, we made a recommendation about assessing and monitoring the risks in relation to older people’s needs. The service was safe, clean and well maintained and suited to the needs of the people living there. People enjoyed a varied and healthy diet and changes in their health were monitored and acted on.

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

People were supported to live active lives and use local services and facilities. Activities were provided both inside and outside the home. People were supported to keep in contact with friends and family.

Each person had a support plan, which provided clear guidance on how their needs and preferences would be met. People were supported to be as independent as possible in all aspects of their lives. People's rights to privacy, dignity, independence and choice were respected; communication between people using the service, relatives and staff was good.

There were sufficient numbers of staff to ensure people's care and support was provided flexibly. The staff team received appropriate support and training and felt valued and respected by the registered manager.

Systems were in place to monitor the quality of the service provided. People's views and opinions were sought and acted on.