Halcon House

The home is a single storey building with level access to all areas. The building is able to accommodate 17 people in en-suite rooms and one person in a self-contained flat. At the time of the inspection there were 16 people at the home. Three of these people were staying for respite.

We found the following examples of good practice. People were being supported by staff who had received training in infection prevention and control. Senior staff carried out observations to make sure staff were following safe practice.

People lived in a home which was kept clean and well maintained which helped to minimise the risks of infection.

People benefited from a provider who had systems to make sure people and staff had regular testing for COVID-19. This helped to keep people safe and enable people to continue to use the home for respite stays. One person who was staying for respite said they felt safe because of the testing.

The regular testing was also enabling people to continue with social activities outside the home. One person told us, "We all agreed to the testing regime to enable us to go out and about just like the staff do."

People were being supported by staff who were wearing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) appropriately. Staff knew what to wear for different tasks and how to safely put on and take off their PPE. We observed that staff always wore face masks and people said staff who assisted them with personal care wore full PPE.

Throughout the pandemic people were able to safely stay in touch with friends and family. The home had followed government guidelines regarding care home visiting including building a wheelchair accessible visiting pod. The pod continued to be available for anyone who wished to use it. One person said "[Relatives' name] can come here or I can go to visit them."

People praised the staff at the home saying they worked in a way that helped them to feel safe. One person said, "I feel genuinely happy and safe here."

Staff felt well supported by the management and the provider. Staff said that the registered manager had kept them up to date with all changes in guidance and had been supportive throughout. Staff also told us they had felt valued by the management and the provider. One member of staff said, "There was a bonus at Christmas, but also small acts of appreciation which have meant a lot."

The five questions we ask about services and what we found