Archived: Hillview Merstham

Updated 19 January 2019

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection checked 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.’

We inspected Hillview Merstham on the 29 November and 11 December 2018. The inspection was unannounced on the first day, announced on the second day and was carried out by one inspector.

Before the inspection we reviewed the information we held about the service including the last inspection report. During the inspection we checked two people’s care records, four staff files and records relating to the management of the home. We also spoke with two support workers, the deputy manager and the registered manager.

Updated 19 January 2019

Hillview Merstham provides care and support to people living in a ‘supported living’ setting, so that they can live in their own home as independently as possible. People’s care and housing are provided under separate contractual agreements. The Care Quality Commission (CQC) does not regulate premises used for supported living; this inspection looked at people’s personal care and support. There were 11 people using the service at the time of our visit.

A registered manager was in post who was present on both days of the inspection. A registered manager is a person who has registered with CQC 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 inspected Hillview Merstham on 29 November and 11 December 2018. The inspection was unannounced on the first day and we told the provider when we would be returning for the second day.

Our previous inspection took place in November 2016 when we rated the service ‘Good’. At this inspection we found the evidence continued to support the rating of ‘Good’. There was no evidence or information from our inspection and ongoing monitoring that demonstrated any 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.

People using the service told us they liked living at Hillview Merstham and felt safe there. They said they were treated in a respectful and caring manner by regular staff members who knew them well and supported them effectively.

Appropriate numbers of support staff were allocated to help keep people safe with regular temporary staff used to cover vacancies. People spoken with were happy with the support provided by the staff working at Hillview Merstham.

We saw staff members had been safely recruited and had access to both mandatory and specialist training. Staff also received regular one to one supervision and additional support when required.

Staff understood how to help protect people from the risk of abuse. The service had procedures in place to report any safeguarding concerns to the local authority. People and staff were protected from potential risk of harm as the service had identified and assessed any risks to them and reviewed these on a regular basis. People had assessments which were individual to the person and their strengths and needs.

Medicines were administered in a safe way. Staff received training and a competency framework was in place to make sure they understood and followed safe procedures for administering medicines.

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. The principles of the Mental Capacity Act (MCA) were followed. Staff understood the importance of gaining people’s consent before assisting them.

The service completed a detailed personalised support plan for each person. They kept people’s needs under review and made changes as required.

People using the service felt able to raise any concerns or complaints. There was a procedure in place for people to follow if they wanted to raise any issues. Staff also said they felt comfortable in raising any concerns should they have any.

The service was well led. People using the service, their relatives and staff told us that they thought the service had improved under their leadership of the current management team and said they found them to be approachable and responsive. The registered manager monitored the quality of the service and made changes to improve the service provided when required.