Background to this inspection
Updated
16 February 2022
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.
As part of CQC’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic we are looking at how services manage infection control and visiting arrangements. This was a targeted inspection looking at the infection prevention and control measures the provider had in place. We also asked the provider about any staffing pressures the service was experiencing and whether this was having an impact on the service.
This inspection took place on 24 January 2022 and was announced. We gave the service 24 hours notice of the inspection.
Updated
16 February 2022
About the service
Hilltop Manor is a residential care home. It provides personal and nursing care to people aged 65 and over, some of whom may be living with dementia, a physical disability, detained under the Mental Health Act or with mental health needs.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
People told us they felt safe and happy living at the service. There was enough staff to safely meet people’s needs. The organisation of staff needed further development to ensure they were on hand to support people if required. Some essential checks of the service and equipment had not been completed. Checks to ensure people were safe to work at the service were completed, but elements of the recruitment process were not robust. People received their medicines as needed.
Staff received training and support in their role. People were generally positive about the quality of the food, which was provided according to needs and preferences. Staff worked closely with healthcare professionals to ensure people’s needs were met.
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.
Staff treated people with kindness and had established a rapport with people and their families. A relative told us, “Staff are incredibly caring. I recommended the home to a friend. A lot of the staff have worked here long term.” People’s dignity and privacy were upheld, and information was available about how to support people to make decisions wherever possible.
Care plans were in place to guide staff about the support people required. There was a variety of activities for people to participate in, should they wish to.
Checks of the service were completed but had not highlighted the points raised during this inspection. The registered manager worked closely with other organisations to improve practice at the service and improvements had been made since our last inspection. People told us the management team were approachable and staff felt well supported and able to share their views about the service.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk
Rating at last inspection and update
The last rating for this service was Requires Improvement (published 18 June 2018) and there were two breaches of regulation. The registered manager completed an action plan after the last inspection to show what actions they would take to improve and the timescales. At this inspection we found improvements had been made and the provider was no longer in breach of regulations.
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.