Hexthorpe Cottage

Updated 29 January 2022

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.

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 undertaken by one inspector

Service and service type

Hexthorpe Cottage is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as a 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

We gave the service short notice of the inspection. This was because the service is small, and people are often out. 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 used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return. This is information we require providers to send us to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We took this into account when we inspected the service and made the judgements in this report.

During the inspection

We spoke with the two people using the service to gain their views of the care and support provided. We spoke with the registered manager, and two members of support staff.

We reviewed a range of records. This included the assessments and care plans of the two people using the service, and records related to the management of people’s medicines. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including staff recruitment records, meeting minutes, quality assurance records were reviewed.

After the inspection

We spoke with two health care and social care professionals to gain their views of the service.

We spoke with a member of support staff, and three professionals involved in supporting people’s health and social care need. We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found.

Updated 29 January 2022

About the service

Hexthorpe Cottage is a care home providing accommodation and personal care for up to two young people with learning disabilities or autistic spectrum disorder and who may have mental health needs. At the time of the inspection two people were using in the service.

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

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.

This service was able to demonstrate how they were meeting the underpinning principles of Right support, right care, right culture.

Right support:

• People lived in an ordinary, family home which integrated well within the community. People had good access to their community and nearby shops. The location also had the benefit of affording people easy access to the countryside for walks.

Right care:

• Care and support was person-centred and promoted people’s dignity, privacy and human rights. People were supported in the least restrictive way and education and learning was promoted.

Right culture:

• The ethos, values, attitudes and behaviours of leaders and care staff ensured people using the service were leading confident, inclusive and empowered lives.

The service provided care and support that was person centred. People told us they felt safe and we saw people were comfortable in the presence of staff. People were protected from avoidable harm and their medicines were managed safely. There were enough staff to meet people’s needs and they were recruited in a way that kept people safe.

Staff received appropriate training, which was relevant to their role and to people's individual needs. Staff were clear on how to identify and report any safeguarding concerns.

People's needs were assessed, and care and support was planned and delivered in a person-centred way. People’s nutritional needs, health and wellbeing were well supported. They had regular access to healthcare services to make sure their health care 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.

People’s independence and choice was supported and they engaged in meaningful and varied social and leisure activities of their choice.

The registered provider had a culture of learning and improvement. There was an effective system of governance in place to monitor and improve the quality and safety of the service. Staff worked well with partner professionals to meet people’s individual needs.

For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk

Rating at last inspection

This service was registered with us on 22 April 2020 and this is the first inspection.

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection of a newly registered 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.

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.