Hurstfield

Updated 17 March 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 22 February and was announced. We gave the service 24 hours’ notice of the inspection.

Updated 17 March 2022

Hurstfield 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.

Hurstfield accommodates six people in one adapted building. The care service has 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. People with enduring mental heath conditions using the service can live as ordinary a life as any citizen.

This was the first inspection of the service under the current provider Elysium Healthcare No. 4 Limited. The inspection took place on 22January 2018 and was announced. 48 hours’ notice of the inspection was given because the service is small and we needed to be sure that the registered manager was available and that people who used the service would be in.

The service has a registered manager. 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 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

People were provided with a clean, comfortable environment to live in and could personalise their own space to their requirements. All servicing and checks including the fire alarm and emergency lighting had been updated to help make the environment safe for people.

There were enough skilled and experienced staff and there was a programme of training, supervision and appraisal to support staff to meet people’s needs. Procedures in relation to recruitment and retention of staff were robust and ensured only suitable people were employed in the service.

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.

Care plans were person-centred and driven by the people who used the service. They detailed how people wished and needed to be cared for. They were regularly reviewed and updated as required. Maximising people's independence was a clear focus in all of the care plans we looked at.

We observed good interactions between staff and people who used the service. People were encouraged to make decisions about meals, and were supported to go shopping and be involved in menu planning. We saw people were involved and consulted about all aspects of their care and support, where they were able, including suggestions for activities and holidays.

People had access to a wide range of activities that were provided both in-house and in the community. People were able to access walking groups, local pubs and meals out. They were also involved in social events such as birthday parties. These sometimes involved other services that were part of the registered providers group.

We found medication procedures at the home were safe. Staff responsible for the administration of

medicines had received training to ensure they had the competency and skills required. People were given appropriate support to enable them to take their medication by themselves.

People told us they were aware of the complaints procedure and said staff would assist them if they needed to use it.

There were effective systems in place to monitor and improve the quality of the service provided. We saw copies of reports produced by the registered manager. The reports included any actions required and these were checked each month to determine progress. The registered manager was supported in her role by a representative or the registered provider who visits the service regularly. They oversee the systems and processes are to the standards expected by the registered provider.

Further information is in the detailed findings below.