CQC report explained · a nursing home
What the CQC found at Hill House Nursing Home
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
- Safe?
- Good
- Inspectors were assured about infection prevention and control, safe visiting, testing, PPE, cleaning and managing outbreaks. The provider also described measures to reduce the risks from COVID-19-related staffing pressures.
- Effective?
- Good
- This question was not assessed in this targeted inspection.
- Caring?
- Good
- This question was not assessed in this targeted inspection.
- Responsive?
- Good
- This question was not assessed in this targeted inspection.
- Well-led?
- Good
- This question was not assessed as a separate rated question. Inspectors said the management team had worked openly with local authority and infection control teams during outbreaks.
What inspectors found, January 2022
Inspected but not rated; inspectors were assured about infection control, visiting arrangements and COVID-19 safety measures.
This was an unannounced, targeted inspection on 6 January 2022. It followed concerns about visiting arrangements and looked mainly at infection prevention and control, as well as pressures on staffing.
Inspectors found systems to reduce the spread of COVID-19. These included testing, PPE, cleaning, social distancing, vaccination checks and arrangements for people who tested positive. They were also assured that visits were being facilitated in line with current guidance.
The home was open with local authority and infection control teams during outbreaks. This inspection was not rated, so it does not give an overall rating of the quality of care.
Infection control
The home had systems covering PPE, testing, cleaning, social distancing and outbreak management. Inspectors were assured that infection prevention and control was being handled well.
“We were assured this service met good infection prevention and control guidelines.” from the report
Visiting arrangements
Visits were being facilitated in line with current guidance. Visitors were asked for a negative COVID-19 test, PPE and hand hygiene, with temperature checks also used.
“People did not raise any concerns with us about the visiting arrangements at the service.” from the report
Working with other teams
The management team worked with the local authority and infection control teams during COVID-19 outbreaks and updated procedures when guidance changed.
“The management team had been open and transparent and worked closely with the Local Authority and infection prevention and control teams throughout COVID 19 outbreaks at the service.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01What arrangements are currently in place for visits, and have they changed since the inspection on 6 January 2022?
- 02How do you manage staffing pressures when staff are absent because of COVID-19?
- 03How often are residents and staff tested, and what happens when someone tests positive?
- 04How do you make sure there are enough PPE supplies and that staff use PPE correctly?
- 05How are cleaning schedules and high-touch areas checked during an outbreak?
This was an unannounced, targeted inspection of infection prevention and control, with questions about staffing pressures; it was not a full inspection and the service was not rated. This explanation was written from the published report of 29 January 2022 by an AI system and checked against the report text: every quoted line appears in the report. It is a guide to the report, not a substitute for it. Read the full report on cqc.org.uk.
What inspectors found, May 2018
Hill House Nursing Home was rated Good; inspectors found kind, safe care, with some care-plan and medicine-record details needing improvement.
Inspectors visited on 4 and 5 April 2018. The first day was unannounced. They spoke with people living at the home, relatives, staff and health professionals. They observed care, looked around the building and checked care, staff and management records.
The home was rated Good in all five areas: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. Inspectors found enough trained staff, safe medicine systems, good support with food and health needs, and respectful relationships.
Improvements had been made since the previous inspection in January 2017, when the home was rated Requires Improvement and breached two regulations. However, some care plans did not give clear or consistent instructions about particular health needs. Some opened creams and liquids had also not been dated.
Kind and respectful staff
People, relatives and health professionals consistently praised the staff's caring approach. Inspectors saw a calm atmosphere and respectful support.
“People, relatives and health professionals were consistently positive about the caring approach of staff.” from the report
Safe staffing and recruitment
Inspectors found enough staff with the right mix of skills. Recruitment checks included references and criminal record checks.
“People were supported by sufficient numbers of staff to keep them safe and to meet their care and support needs in a timely manner.” from the report
Improved medicine systems
The home had introduced electronic medicine records with barcode checks. Inspectors found medicines were stored and administered safely.
“The provider had recently started using an electronic system for recording medicine administration.” from the report
Activities and individual support
The home offered activities based on people's interests and abilities. Staff also supported people individually, including those who could not leave their rooms.
“They had developed a weekly activities programme based on people's interests, preferences and abilities.” from the report
Improved management checks
Inspectors found that record checks and quality monitoring had improved since the previous inspection. People and relatives were asked for their views.
“At this inspection we found improvements had been made to people's records and the auditing system.” from the report
Care plans were not always clear
needs fixingSome care plans did not give enough detail about specific health needs. One person's required fluid intake was not stated, while another person's records gave two different amounts.
“Some people's care records did not contain detailed guidance on specific health needs to ensure people received responsive care at all times.” from the report
Some medicines were not dated when opened
needs fixingSome creams and liquids had not been dated when opened. This meant staff could not be certain they were still in date and safe to use.
“However, not all creams or liquids had been dated on opening.” from the report
- 01How do you check that each care plan gives clear and accurate instructions for specific health needs?
- 02What checks now make sure fluid targets and other instructions do not conflict between different parts of a care plan?
- 03How do staff record the date that creams and liquids are opened?
- 04How do you check that opened creams and liquids are still safe and in date?
- 05How have the improvements made after the January 2017 inspection been kept in place?
This was a comprehensive inspection covering all five CQC questions, including the care provided and the premises. This explanation was written from the published report of 4 May 2018 by an AI system and checked against the report text: every quoted line appears in the report. It is a guide to the report, not a substitute for it. Read the full report on cqc.org.uk.
Every inspection of Hill House Nursing Home
2 rated inspections over a year: the service has improved, from Requires improvement to Good.
- January 2022Inspected but not ratedcurrent ratingSafe: Inspected but not rated
- May 2018Goodup from Requires improvementSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- April 2017Requires improvementSafe: Requires improvementEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: Requires improvementWell-led: Requires improvement
- January 2014
Report published without a new overall rating.
- July 2013
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 31 July 2013.
Ratings and report dates from the Care Quality Commission, Open Government Licence v3.0. A home can also be visited without a new rating being published, so the timeline shows published inspections.
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These are self-employed carers on PrimeCarers, the introductory agency that runs this directory. Each has a profile with their own rates and reviews from families, and you choose who to talk to.
Most charge £980 to £1,400 a week. 17 can care for a couple. 12 years' experience on average.
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Every carer has had an enhanced DBS check in the last 18 months, ID and right-to-work checks and an online interview. Their skills and training are for you to check with them. Carers set their own rates, and who is free changes week to week.