Latest Inspection
This is the latest available inspection report for this service, carried out on 7th January 2010. it is an annual review prepared by CQC after examining previous reports and information from the provider. At the time of this report, CQC judged the service to be Good.
The inspector made no statutory requirements on the home as a result of this inspection
and there were no outstanding actions from the previous inspection report.
For extracts, read the latest CQC inspection for Highfield House.
Annual service review
Name of Service: Highfield House The quality rating for this care home is: The rating was made on: two star good service 1 2 0 1 2 0 0 9 A quality rating is our assessment of how well a care home, agency or scheme is meeting the needs of the people who use it. We give a quality rating following a full review of the service. We call this review a ‘key’ inspection We do an annual service review when there has been no key inspection of the service in the last 12 months. It does not involve a visit to the service but is a summary of new information given to us, or collected by us, since the last key inspection or annual service review.
Has this annual service review changed our opinion of the service?
No You should read the last key inspection report for this service to get a full picture of how well outcomes for the people using the service are being met. The date by which we will do a key inspection: Name of inspector: Jane Poole Date of this annual service review: 0 2 1 2 2 0 0 9 Annual Service Review Page 1 of 5 Information about the service
Address of service: High Street Castle Cary Somerset BA7 7AN 01963350697 01963350697 highfieldhouse@yahoo.co.uk Telephone number: Fax number: Email address: Provider web address:
Name of registered provider(s): Conditions of registration: Category(ies) : old age, not falling within any other category MRS PHILIPPA GRACE BIDDLECOMBE,Mr Stephen John Biddlecombe Number of places (if applicable): Under 65 Over 65 0 22 Have there been any changes in the ownership, management or the No service’s registration details in the last 12 months? If yes, what have they been: Date of last key inspection: Date of last annual service review (if applicable): Brief description of the service Highfield House provides residential services for 22 people over the age of 65. Mr and Mrs Biddlecombe own, and have managed the home since 1988. The home is located in the main street of Castle Cary, close to all the towns amenities. Nearby larger towns include Taunton and Yeovil. There is a rail station on the outskirts of Castle Cary with a main line to London. The home consists of a period main house to which extensions have been built at later dates. Accommodation is on two floors. There is a passenger lift and a stair lift. All bedrooms are for single occupancy and all have washing facilities. Fifteen bedrooms have en-suite toilets. The home has a number of communal rooms, a conservatory and large, attractive gardens with level access. 1 2 0 1 2 0 0 9 Annual Service Review Page 2 of 5 Service update since the last key inspection or annual service review:
What did we do for this annual service review? We looked at information that we have received and requested since the last Annual Service Review. The Annual Quality Assurance Assessment (AQAA) was sent out to the home and was completed and returned to CQC in a timely fashion. The AQAA is a self-assessment that focuses on how well outcomes are being met for people using the service. It also gave us some numerical information about the service. Surveys were sent out to people who live at the home, and other interested parties, to seek their views on the quality of the service provided. We received 9 completed surveys from people living at the home, 6 from staff and 2 from health and social care professionals. Earlier in the year we received a letter from a relative praising the care provided by the home. No regulation 37 notices (notices of significant incidents) have been received since the last inspection although the AQAA states that there have been 2 deaths at the home and 2 people from the home have died in hospital. What has this told us about the service? The AQAA was completed by the registered manager/provider. It demonstrated that the home is committed to providing a high quality service and making continual improvements to the building and the care provided. The AQAA states that the management team has day to day contact with staff and people living in the home. This enables them to monitor the quality of care provided and seek informal feedback from people. Staff who completed questionnaires said that the home was well run very organised and that management will do anything to support staff and residents. Staff all said that there were regular opportunities to meet with the manager to discuss how they were working. As a result of listening to people the home has made some changes in the last 12 months. These have included, weekly meetings with people who live at the home, the re- introduction of the in house library system and extended menu choices. The AQAA states that the home has a robust recruitment procedure which minimises the risks of abuse to people. Staff all answered YES to the question Did the employer carry out checks such as CRB and references before you started work? Staff also said that their induction covered everything they needed to know very well and that there was good access to ongoing training. The home has a complaints procedure and people living at the home who completed questionnaires all said that they knew who to speak to informally if they were unhappy and that they knew how to make a formal complaint. 8 of the 9 people who completed a questionnaire answered ALWAYS to the question Do staff listen and act on what you Annual Service Review Page 3 of 5 say? No complaints have been received by the home or the Commission since the last inspection. Everyone said that they always received the care and support they needed, that staff were always available when they needed them and that the home made sure they received the medical support they needed. Both health and social care professionals answered ALWAYS to the question Does the care service seek advice and act upon it to meet peoples care needs and improve their well being? All questionnaires contained positive comments about the home. Comments from people living at the home included I am delighted I chose this home, Nothing is ever too much trouble, and Its a very nice place to live, truly a care home. Staff said A friendly caring home were everyone feels valued and A lovely place to work. Under the section What do you feel the home does well? one health and social care professional wrote maintains individuality and dignity in a caring environment. All information gives evidence that the home continues to provide a good service. What are we going to do as a result of this annual service review? We are not going to change our inspection plan. However we can inspect the service at any time if we have concerns about the quality of the service or the safety of the people using the service. Annual Service Review Page 4 of 5 Reader Information
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