Archived: Hamilton House Care Home

Updated 3 September 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

This inspection was carried out by two inspectors on day one and one inspector on day two with 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

Hamilton House Care Home 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

Before the inspection we looked at information we held about the service. This included notifications received from the provider which they are required to send us by law. 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.

We used all of this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with nine people who lived at the service and three relatives about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with eight members of staff, the registered manager and clinical deputy manager. We also spoke with two visiting professionals. We reviewed a range of records which included six care plans, multiple medicines administration records, risk assessments, four staff files and a variety of records relating to the management of the service.

After the inspection

Following our site visit we contacted one healthcare professional for their feedback about the service.

Updated 3 September 2019

About the service

Hamilton House Care Home is a nursing home providing personal and nursing care for up to 53 people. At the time of the inspection there were 36 people living at the service. The registered manager told us there were 43 rooms available to people not 53 as registered. Some rooms had been double occupancy but had all been changed to single occupancy. This had reduced the number of rooms.

The home was over three floors all accessed by a lift. Some rooms were en-suite and for those that were not, there were communal bathrooms and toilets available. There was a courtyard garden which was easily accessed.

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

People were supported by staff who had been recruited safely and were trained. There were sufficient numbers of staff available. Nursing staff managed the medicines and made sure people had their medicines as prescribed. Medicines administration records were kept which recorded what medicines people had and when. Risks had been assessed and management plans were in place which nurses reviewed regularly. The service was clean and good infection prevention and control practice was followed.

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. People’s needs were assessed, and care delivered effectively. Food looked and smelt appetising and we observed people had the support they needed to eat. People had timely access to healthcare where needed and records demonstrated action taken. The environment looked dated in some areas. For example, one bathroom needed updating and some carpets needed replacing. Communal areas such as the dining rooms and some bathrooms had been refurbished which made them bright and fresh.

People were supported to maintain important relationships and friends and relatives were able to visit without restrictions. Refreshments were available, so relatives could help themselves. People were involved in their care where they were able, choice was promoted and respected by the staff team. People’s independence was encouraged where possible, but staff were on hand to help if needed. Privacy and dignity was promoted and maintained by a staff team who respected and valued the people they were supporting.

People had their own personalised care plans which were reviewed regularly by the nursing team. Care plans had been written positively and contained guidance needed for staff to provide safe care. Where needed, monitoring was in place for additional needs and this was checked by nurses. End of life care was provided and staff had received many compliments about the compassionate care they had provided. Activities were available, and people were supported to engage with what they chose to do.

Quality monitoring systems were robust and identified improvement needed. The registered manager and provider had oversight of the service and monitored areas such as falls, training and people’s weight. Staff told us there was good team work and the registered manager was supportive. Staff felt able to speak up about any concerns they had. People’s views were sought in ‘resident meetings’ and surveys. Action was taken in response to suggestions raised.

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 (report published 22 February 2017).

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.