Hempstalls Hall Care Home

Updated 17 July 2019

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 Care Act 2014.

Inspection team

The inspection team consisted of one inspector 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

Hempstalls Hall is a 'care home'. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or

personal care as single package under one contractual agreement. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

The service had a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. This means that they and the provider are legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided.

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 used the

information the provider sent us in the provider information return. This is information providers are

required to send us with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. This information helps support our inspections.

During the inspection

We spoke with eleven people who used the service and two relatives about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with five members of staff including the, registered manager, senior care worker, care workers, the activities worker and the chef. 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 reviewed a range of records. This included three people’s care records and multiple medication records. We looked at two staff files in relation to recruitment and staff supervision. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures were reviewed.

Updated 17 July 2019

About the service

Hempstalls Hall Care Home is a residential care home providing personal care to 38 people aged 65 and over at the time of the inspection. Hempstalls Hall Care Home accommodates 40 people across two floors, the top floor providing care to people living with dementia.

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

The home was very welcoming and homely. People were supported by a staff team that knew them exceptionally well and were kind and caring. People told us they enjoyed living there and felt safe. We saw people were treated with dignity and respect by trained staff.

Staff knew how to recognise and report signs of abuse and were confident issues raised would be dealt with appropriately. Risk assessments were in place for people and were reviewed and updated. Medicines were effectively managed and administered safely and protocols were in place.

People had personalised care plans which provided staff with information to support people living in the home which detailed people’s preferences which staff followed, reviewed and updated, liaising with other departments when necessary.

Accidents and incidents were effectively monitored to identify and address any patterns or themes. Lessons were learnt, and systems were improved, and staff were kept informed. Systems were in place to manage infection control.

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 home supported this practice.

People could choose where they wanted to spend their time and had access to both floors and a garden area. People were supported and encouraged to maintain their independence as far as possible and were given the freedom to make their own choices.

Staff had good relationships with external agencies which supported people to live a healthy life. People had their dietary needs assessed and regular consultation was carried out with people to ensure they continued to eat food they enjoyed.

People were not isolated, and staff encouraged people to be involved in activities both within the home and on day trips. Staff were able to have meaningful conversations with people as they had a clear understanding of people’s hobbies and interests.

The provider had a complaints system which was accessible to people, relatives and visitors and the registered manager was accessible and open with their response.

The provider was aware of their responsibilities and had robust systems in place to continually monitor the home and to identify where improvements could be made.

There was a positive staff culture in the home which promoted a positive atmosphere for people who lived there.

The home had excellent links with the local community and strived to continue to grow links, which gave people a sense of belonging making them feel they were part of the wider community.

Statutory notifications had been completed to inform us of events and incidents, this helped us to monitor the action the provider had taken.

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 20 December 2016)

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.