CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at Hillcrest Residential Home
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
- Safe?
- Good
- Inspectors were assured about infection prevention and control, including PPE, testing, cleaning, admissions, visitors and outbreak management.
- Effective?
- Good
- This targeted inspection did not assess this question.
- Caring?
- Good
- This targeted inspection did not assess this question.
- Responsive?
- Good
- This targeted inspection did not assess this question.
- Well-led?
- Good
- This targeted inspection did not assess this question.
What inspectors found, February 2021
Hillcrest Residential Home was inspected but not rated; inspectors found strong infection control and communication with relatives.
This was an announced, targeted inspection on 27 January 2021. It checked how the home was preventing and controlling infections during the coronavirus pandemic.
Inspectors were assured that the home was managing visitors, social distancing, admissions, protective equipment, testing, cleaning and infection outbreaks. The home had updated policies and regular staff training and checks.
The home kept in touch with relatives through questionnaires, window visits, telephone and video calls, and a closed social media group. It also had controlled arrangements for visits when someone was receiving end of life care.
This was not a full assessment of the service. The overall rating and the safe rating were both recorded as inspected but not rated.
Communication with relatives
The home used several ways to keep relatives informed and involved while normal visits were closed.
“The home had corresponded closely with relatives, including issuing questionnaires, to gather views around the home closing to visitors” from the report
Controlled end of life visits
There was a detailed process for supporting visits for people receiving end of life care while limiting infection risks.
“Although currently closed to normal visits, the home had a robust process in place for facilitating controlled visits for people receiving end of life care.” from the report
Infection control
The home had clear arrangements for staff changing clothes, keeping distance, cleaning frequently touched surfaces and using protective equipment.
“Robust processes had been introduced to minimise the risk of staff spreading infection.” from the report
Staff training and checks
Staff had completed infection control, PPE and hand-washing training. The home also carried out competency checks.
“Staff had completed infection control, PPE and hand washing training.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01What visiting arrangements are currently available, including visits for people receiving end of life care?
- 02How do you currently keep relatives informed and involved if normal visits are restricted?
- 03How often are frequently touched surfaces cleaned, and how is this checked?
- 04How do you check that staff are using PPE and washing their hands correctly?
- 05How are people and staff tested for infections, and what happens if there is an outbreak?
This was a targeted inspection of infection prevention and control during the coronavirus pandemic; it did not provide a full service rating or assess the other key questions. This explanation was written from the published report of 12 February 2021 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
Rated Good; inspectors found safe, kind, personalised care and confirmed an earlier medicines problem had been fixed.
The inspection took place on 14 and 15 March 2018. The first day was unannounced. Inspectors spoke with people living at the home, relatives, staff and managers. They also looked around the home and checked care files, medicines records, staff files and quality checks.
The home was rated Good overall and Good in all five areas: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. People and relatives said they felt safe and were positive about the care. Inspectors found enough staff, detailed care plans, safe medicines systems and kind interactions.
At the previous inspection, medicines management had breached Regulation 12 and Safe was rated Requires Improvement. This inspection found the problem had been addressed. The report says there was no evidence of serious risks or concerns.
Medicines now managed safely
Inspectors found accurate medicines records, suitable guidance and checks that staff were trained and competent. This addressed the problem found at the previous inspection.
“Medicines were stored, handled and administered safely by trained staff that had their competency assessed regularly.” from the report
Kind and respectful care
Staff knew people well and explained care before providing it. Inspectors saw people being treated with kindness, dignity and respect.
“Throughout the inspection we observed positive and appropriate interactions between the staff and people who used the service.” from the report
Personalised support
Care plans recorded people's backgrounds, preferences and support needs. People and relatives were involved in planning care.
“Care plans had been written with the involvement of people or the relatives, and provided staff with clear explanations about how each person wanted to be supported.” from the report
Visible management
People, relatives and staff spoke positively about the management. Audits, meetings and feedback were used to identify and address issues.
“We saw there were a number of audits and monitoring systems in place to monitor the quality and effectiveness of the service.” from the report
Previous medicines breach
needs fixingThe previous inspection found a breach of Regulation 12 linked to medicines management. Inspectors said this had been fixed by this inspection, but families may still want to ask how the improvements are maintained.
“we identified a breach of Regulation 12 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014” from the report
- 01How are medicines records checked now, following the previous Regulation 12 breach?
- 02How do you make sure staff remain trained and competent to administer medicines safely?
- 03How will the new management arrangements affect the day-to-day care of residents?
- 04How are residents and relatives involved when care plans or risk assessments change?
- 05What activities and outings are currently available, and how do you adapt them to each person's interests and abilities?
This inspection covered all five key questions and checked whether the previous medicines breach had been fixed; all five ratings remained Good. This explanation was written from the published report of 1 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 Hillcrest Residential Home
2 rated inspections over 2 years: the service has held its Good rating throughout.
- February 2021Inspected but not ratedcurrent ratingSafe: Inspected but not rated
- May 2018Goodstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- January 2016GoodSafe: Requires improvementEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- October 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- February 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- November 2011
Report published without a new overall rating.
- November 2010
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 29 November 2010.
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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At least 100 live-in carers within about an hour of Wigan
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Most charge £980 to £1,260 a week. 92 can care for a couple. 11 years' experience on average.
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