Highbury Court Flats

Updated 15 February 2023

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 Health and Social Care Act 2008.

As part of this inspection we looked at the infection control and prevention measures in place. This was conducted so we can understand the preparedness of the service in preventing or managing an infection outbreak, and to identify good practice we can share with other services.

Inspection team

The inspection was carried out by 1 inspector.

Service and service type

Highbury Court Flats is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing and/or personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement dependent on their registration with us. Highbury Court Flats is a care home without nursing care. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

Registered Manager

This provider is required to have a registered manager to oversee the delivery of regulated activities at this location. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Registered managers and providers are legally responsible for how the service is run, for the quality and safety of the care provided and compliance with regulations.

At the time of our inspection there was a registered manager in post.

Notice of inspection

This inspection was announced.

We gave the service 24 hours’ notice of the inspection. This was because the service is small, and people are often out, and we wanted to be sure there would be people at home to speak with us.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We sought feedback from the local authority who work with the service. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return (PIR). This is information providers are required to send us annually with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. We used all this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with 4 people who used the service and 5 members of staff, which included the registered manager, service manager, 1 senior support worker and 2 support workers.

We reviewed a range of records. We looked at a variety of records relating to the care and support provided. This included 1 care file and 1 staff file in relation to recruitment, and various audits/reports relating to the quality and safety of the service.

Updated 15 February 2023

About the service

Highbury Court Flats is a residential care home providing accommodation and personal care to up to 6 adults with mental health issues and/or learning disabilities in their own flats. At the time of our inspection there were 6 people using the service.

We expect health and social care providers to guarantee autistic people and people with a learning disability the choices, dignity, independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted. Right support, right care, right culture is the statutory guidance which supports CQC to make assessments and judgements about services providing support to people with a learning disability and/or autistic people. We considered this guidance as there were people using the service who have a learning disability and or who are autistic.

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

Right support: The provider supported and encouraged people to be as independent as possible. Staff focused on people's strengths and promoted what they could do, so people had a fulfilling and meaningful everyday life.

People lived within walking distance of local shops and amenities. There was a bus stop and tram link nearby, which enabled people to use public transport if they wished to travel further afield.

People were kept safe from avoidable harm because staff knew them well and understood how to protect them from abuse. The service worked well with other agencies to do so.

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.

There were personalised risk assessments in place covering all aspects of the service and support provided. Medicines were managed safely. Infection control measures were in place.

Right care: Staff relationships with people were caring and supportive. Staff provided care that was kind and compassionate. The service had enough appropriately skilled staff to meet people's needs and keep them safe. The provider was in the process of providing enhanced learning disability and autism training to all staff in line with legislation.

Right culture: Staff felt respected, supported and valued by the registered manager. Staff knew and understood people extremely well and were responsive, supporting their aspirations to live a quality life of their choosing.

A number of methods were used to assess the quality and safety of the service people received. However, some audits had lapsed and needed enhancing further.

We have made a recommendation about the governance systems.

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 19 November 2018).

Why we inspected

This inspection was prompted by a review of the information we held about this service.

We looked at infection prevention and control measures under the Safe key question. We look at this in all care home inspections even if no concerns or risks have been identified. This is to provide assurance that the service can respond to COVID-19 and other infection outbreaks effectively.

You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Highbury Court Flats on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.