Archived: The Hawthorns

Updated 9 August 2017

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, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

This inspection took place on 25 July 2017 and was unannounced. The inspection team consisted of one inspector and an expert by experience; who had experience of elderly and dementia care. An expert-by-experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of care service.

Prior to the inspection the provider completed a provider information return (PIR). This is a form that asks the provider to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make.

As part of the inspection we reviewed information we held about the service including statutory notifications that had been submitted. Statutory notifications include information about important events which the provider is required to send us by law. We also spoke with the local authority prior to our inspection to gain their views about the service.

We spoke with 11 people who used the service and three relatives. We also spoke with four staff who provide care, the interim deputy manager and the home service manager. We reviewed four people’s care records. We also looked at provider audits for environment and maintenance checks, compliments and complaints, incident and accident audits and staff and resident meeting minutes. A resident satisfaction survey, recruitment files for two staff members and a sample of people’s medication records.

Updated 9 August 2017

This inspection took place on 25 July 2017 and was unannounced. The Hawthorns provides accommodation and personal care for up to 39 older people. There were 34 people who were living at the home on the day of our visit.

The registered manager of the service had resigned from their post on 21 July 2017 and had begun the process to de-register from the Care Quality Commission. A team leader had received handover information from the registered manager and was now an interim deputy manager. They were supported by the home service manager and the provider. The provider was actively recruiting for a new 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 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

People lived in a safe environment as staff knew how to protect people from risk of harm. We found that staff recognised any signs of abuse and knew how to report this. Staff made sure risk assessments were in place and took actions to minimise risks without taking away people’s right to make decisions. There were sufficient staff on duty to meet people’s needs. People told us that staff helped them when they needed assistance. Regular reviews of people’s care and deployment of staff meant staffing levels reflected the needs of people who lived in the home. People’s medicines were administered and managed in a safe way.

Staff had the knowledge and skills to support people in the right way which was in line with best practice. People received care and support in response to their needs and preferences. Staff provided people’s care with their consent and agreement. Staff understood and recognised the importance of this.

People were supported to eat a healthy balanced diet with enough fluids to keep them healthy. People had access to healthcare professionals, such as their doctor when they required them.

We saw that people were involved in planning their care. People’s views and decisions about their care were listened to and acted upon. People told us that staff treated them kindly, with dignity and that their privacy was respected.

Staff promoted a culture to encourage people to carry out hobbies and interests that were personalised to them.

We found that people knew how to complain and felt comfortable to do this should they feel they needed to. We looked at the providers complaints over the last 12 months and found that one complaint had been received which had been responded to with satisfactory outcomes for the person who had raised the complaint.

People and staff felt the interim deputy manager demonstrated clear leadership and support.

We found that the checks the provider completed focused upon the experiences people received. Where areas for improvement were identified, systems were in place to ensure that lessons were learnt and used to improve the care and support provided.