Hurstead House Care Home

This report summarizes an inspection of Hurstead House Nursing Home conducted by the Care Quality Commission. The inspection assessed the home across five key areas: Safety, Effectiveness, Caring, Responsiveness, and Leadership. Overall, the findings indicate a positive and improving service that prioritises the well-being and dignity of its residents. This report details the specific findings within each category, offering insights into the home's strengths and areas for continued development.

Regarding safety, the home has made significant improvements, with robust safeguarding policies and staff training in place to protect residents. Necessary checks on staff and the environment are consistently carried out, and risk assessments help maintain resident welfare, including the safe administration of medications. A recommendation was made to enhance emergency preparedness, particularly for fire response, to ensure all staff receive adequate training.

In terms of how effective the care is, residents benefit from access to professionals and a well-trained staff team. The home collaborates with other organisations to provide consistent care, and residents are supported to make choices about their lives in the least restrictive way possible. Improvements have been made to how mental capacity is assessed and recorded, ensuring care aligns with legal guidance.

The caring aspect of the service remains a strong point, with residents consistently reporting positive experiences and feeling well-treated. Staff are praised for their kindness and attentiveness, and residents' individual needs, preferences, and diversity are respected. Residents are actively involved in decisions about their care, and their privacy and independence are maintained.

On responsiveness, Hurstead House demonstrates a commitment to meeting residents' needs through personalised care plans that are regularly reviewed. The home actively seeks and acts upon feedback from residents and their families to improve services. Efforts are being made to enhance communication methods for residents with dementia, and a wide range of meaningful activities are provided.

Finally, concerning how well-led the service is, the management team actively participates in audits and collaborates with external organisations to foster best practices. Managers are accessible and approachable, and there is a culture that encourages feedback from both residents and staff. The home has made significant progress since the last inspection, addressing previous areas of concern and demonstrating a commitment to good governance and continuous improvement.