CQC report explained · a residential care home, run by Hillcrest & Lyndale Care & Support Services
Hillcrest
35 Carleton Road, Pontefract, WF8 3ND
Rated Requires improvement: inspectors found the service was not performing as well as it should and told it what to change.
- Safe?
- Requires improvement
- Risk assessments, fire safety arrangements, infection control and medicines management were not always effective. The provider was in breach of Regulation 12.
- Effective?
- Good
- This question was not inspected during this focused inspection. Its previous rating was carried forward when calculating the overall rating.
- Caring?
- Requires improvement
- People were not always supported with privacy, dignity, choice or involvement in their care. Some people had fewer activities and relatives said they had not been involved in care planning.
- Responsive?
- Good
- This question was not inspected during this focused inspection. Its previous rating was carried forward when calculating the overall rating.
- Well-led?
- Requires improvement
- The provider’s audits and governance systems had not identified or dealt with important problems. The provider was in breach of Regulation 17.
What inspectors found, December 2023
Hillcrest rated Requires Improvement; inspectors found risks in medicines, infection control, dignity and management systems.
This was an unannounced focused inspection on 18 and 19 October 2023. Inspectors spoke with people, staff, managers and relatives. They reviewed care plans, medicines records, safety records and quality checks.
The home was not always safe or caring. Risk assessments lacked important detail. Medicines records and storage checks were incomplete. Infection control was not always followed, and some areas were not consistently clean. Some people’s privacy, choices and involvement in care planning were not properly supported.
The home was also not well-led. Quality checks had failed to identify or correct several problems, and policies were out of date. The overall rating changed from Good at the previous inspection to Requires Improvement. There were breaches of Regulations 12 and 17.
Safeguarding awareness
Staff had training about recognising and reporting abuse, and inspectors found they understood what to do to protect people.
“Staff had training and demonstrated a good understanding of what to do to make sure people were protected from harm or abuse.” from the report
Safe recruitment and staffing
There were enough safely recruited staff on duty to meet people’s needs during the inspection.
“There were enough safely recruited staff on duty to meet people's needs at the time of our visit.” from the report
Kind staff
Relatives and inspectors described staff as kind. Staff supported people patiently with everyday choices.
“One relative said, "The staff are lovely, they are the nicest set of people.” from the report
Joined-up support
The home worked with health professionals and other agencies to support people’s care.
“The service worked in partnership with other agencies, such as doctors, dentists, and speech and language therapists, to help to provide joined up care to people.” from the report
Risks and fire safety
seriousRisk assessments for moving and handling, epilepsy and choking lacked enough detail. Inspectors were not assured that the fire risk assessment was suitable or completed by someone with the right competence.
“Risk assessments associated with moving and handling, epilepsy and choking did not contain enough detailed information.” from the report
Medicines management
seriousMedicine storage temperatures were not consistently recorded. Instructions and outcome records for some medicines were missing, creating a risk that medicines were not given consistently.
“This meant there was a risk people did not receive their medicines consistently.” from the report
Infection control and cleanliness
seriousSome areas had a bad smell and worn soft furnishings. Staff did not always follow infection control procedures, and some equipment used for medicines was not clean.
“The provider had failed to ensure infection control risks were managed and mitigated.” from the report
Privacy and decision-making
needs fixingAudio monitors could be heard by people in communal areas, which inspectors said was not respectful of privacy. Best-interest assessments had not been completed for some people who lacked capacity.
“Everyone sat in or passing by this area could hear the monitors which was not respectful of people's privacy.” from the report
Care planning and activities
needs fixingCare plans did not always explain how to support people safely, build independence or achieve longer-term goals. Some people had fewer activities available.
“People's support plans did not include clear strategies to enhance their independence and did not evidence any future planning or consideration of the longer-term aspirations of each person.” from the report
Weak management checks
seriousAudits had not found or corrected problems with medicines, infection control, staff training and supervision. Policies had not been kept up to date.
“These systems had not always been effective as they had not enabled the provider to take timely action to address improvement.” from the report
- 01What has been changed to make medicine storage checks, 'when required' medicine instructions and medicine records reliable?
- 02Has the fire risk assessment been reviewed by a suitably competent person, and what actions were completed as a result?
- 03How do you now ensure staff follow infection control procedures and keep medicine equipment clean?
- 04How are people’s privacy and best-interest decisions protected when audio monitors or other monitoring devices are used?
- 05How are relatives involved in care planning, and how are each person’s independence goals and funded hours recorded?
This was a focused inspection of Safe, Caring and Well-led only; the other key-question ratings were not inspected and the previous ratings were used to calculate the overall rating. This explanation was written from the published report of 2 December 2023 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
3 rated inspections over 9 years: the service has slipped, from Good to Requires improvement.
- December 2023Requires improvementcurrent ratingdown from GoodSafe: Requires improvementEffective: GoodCaring: Requires improvementResponsive: GoodWell-led: Requires improvement
- November 2017Goodstayed GoodSafe: GoodCaring: GoodWell-led: Good
- March 2015GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: OutstandingResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- August 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- February 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- April 2011
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 11 April 2011.
Ratings and report dates from the Care Quality Commission. A service can also be visited without a new rating being published, so the timeline shows published inspections, not every contact the CQC has had with the service.
Or stay at home with a private carer
Many people who look at care homes end up staying at home with a carer who comes in for a few hours a day, or lives in. PrimeCarers introduces you to self-employed carers you choose yourself: interviewed, ID and DBS checked, from about £20 an hour or £1,120 a week live-in.
Other services run by Hillcrest & Lyndale Care & Support Services Limited
3 other services on the CQC register. A pattern across a group tells you more than one report.