CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at 165 Point Clear Road
Rated Requires improvement: inspectors found the home was not performing as well as it should and told it what to change.
- Safe?
- Requires improvement
- Inspectors found unsafe cleaning and maintenance issues, including an unrepaired garden ramp and cleaning products that were not safely stored. Infection control and staffing arrangements were not always reliable.
- Effective?
- Requires improvement
- People received support with health, food and decision-making, but not all staff had completed required or refresher training. Some parts of the home showed wear and tear or were no longer fit for purpose.
- Caring?
- Good
- Staff treated people with kindness, dignity and respect. People were involved in everyday choices and staff understood their communication needs and preferences.
- Responsive?
- Good
- Care was personalised and people were supported to take part in activities, maintain relationships and communicate in ways that suited them. Their care plans included routines, preferences and support needs.
- Well-led?
- Requires improvement
- Quality checks had not identified or dealt with several safety concerns. Management changes and staffing arrangements had not been handled well enough, and records did not clearly show effective oversight.
What inspectors found, December 2022
165 Point Clear Road was rated Requires Improvement; care was kind and personalised, but safety and management systems were not reliable enough.
This was the first inspection since the home registered with the CQC. It was unannounced and included visits at different times, including out of hours. Inspectors met all four people living there, observed care, checked records and spoke with staff, managers and professionals.
The home provided kind, respectful and personalised care. People were supported to make choices, communicate in their own ways, access health services and take part in activities they enjoyed. The caring and responsive ratings were Good.
There were important safety problems. Some areas and equipment were not clean or well maintained. A broken garden ramp remained unsafe, cleaning fluids were not always stored safely, and some staff did not use face masks correctly. Staffing cover was also not always enough to provide planned one-to-one support.
The home was rated Requires Improvement overall. Safe, Effective and Well-led were Requires Improvement. The CQC found breaches relating to safe care and treatment and good governance. It asked the provider for an action plan and said it would monitor progress with the local authority.
Kind and respectful care
Staff knew people well and created a warm atmosphere. People were treated as individuals and supported with dignity.
“People received kind and compassionate care.” from the report
Choice and independence
People were involved in decisions about what to eat, wear, do and where to go. Staff encouraged independence rather than taking over.
“Throughout the inspection staff were involving people in making decisions about their day, this included what they wanted to wear, eat, and if they wanted to go out and where.” from the report
Personalised communication
Staff understood people's different ways of communicating and used care plans to support their choices.
“Staff had good awareness, skills and understanding of individual's communication needs, they knew how to facilitate communication and when people were trying to tell them something.” from the report
Activities and relationships
People were supported to follow their interests, take part in social activities and build friendships.
“People were supported to participate in their chosen social and leisure interests on a regular basis.” from the report
Health support
Staff worked with health and social care professionals, including specialist services, to support people's wellbeing and reduce anxiety.
“Staff worked well with other services and professionals to support people's individual needs.” from the report
Unsafe garden ramp
seriousThe ramp to the garden had been reported as broken but was still not repaired. It had a missing handrail and an uneven section that could cause a trip.
“People were seen using the ramp, which had a missing handrail and a potential unmarked trip hazard where the wood was uneven.” from the report
Cleaning and infection control
seriousSome areas and equipment had dust, food debris or limescale. Laundry was aired next to a toilet, and some staff did not use face masks properly.
“Areas of the service and equipment used had a build-up of dust, food debris and limescale, which could harbour bacteria.” from the report
Hazardous cleaning products
seriousCleaning products that could be harmful were left unsecured. Similar items were found again after staff had already been alerted.
“Although we immediately brought this to staff's attention, lessons were not being learnt as we found two further cleaning items left unattended in the same area on our return the second day.” from the report
Staffing cover
needs fixingOn one inspection day, there was not enough experienced cover to provide planned one-to-one support and flexibility for people who wanted to go out.
“There was not sufficient cover to provide the one to one support and flexibility of people if they wanted to go out.” from the report
Training gaps
needs fixingSome staff had not completed mandatory or refresher training in areas including food safety, fire safety and restrictive interventions.
“Improvements were needed to ensure all staff completed their mandatory and refresher training to keep their skills and knowledge up to date.” from the report
Weak management checks
seriousAudits had not found several safety problems, and the home could not clearly show that people were receiving their allocated support time.
“The arrangements to assess and monitor the quality of the service were not effective enough.” from the report
- 01Has the garden ramp been repaired, including the missing handrail and uneven wood, and how are similar risks now checked?
- 02How are cleaning products secured, and how do managers check that cleaning and infection control standards are being followed?
- 03What is the current staffing plan for providing each person's one-to-one support, including when agency staff are used?
- 04Which staff training and refresher courses were outstanding, and have they now been completed?
- 05How does the new quality assurance system identify and follow up safety concerns?
This was the first comprehensive inspection of the newly registered home, covering all five key questions and including infection prevention and control checks. This explanation was written from the published report of 9 December 2022 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 165 Point Clear Road
3 rated inspections over 7 years: the service has slipped, from Good to Requires improvement.
- December 2022Requires improvementcurrent ratingdown from GoodSafe: Requires improvementEffective: Requires improvementCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Requires improvement
- December 2018Goodstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- April 2016GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- July 2020
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 23 July 2020.
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.
Weigh the report against the rest
Fees, photos and reviews from families
How to read CQC ratings and reports
What to check when you visit
35 live-in carers within about an hour of Essex
These are self-employed carers on PrimeCarers, the introductory agency that runs this directory. Each has a profile with their own rates and reviews from families, and you choose who to talk to.
Most charge £1,020 to £1,260 a week. 25 can care for a couple. 10 years' experience on average.
“Not only was she professional, polite and efficient but she bought a lovely smile and laughter to my parents home.”
“She brought fun and stimulation into mums life.”
Every carer has had an enhanced DBS check in the last 18 months, ID and right-to-work checks and an online interview. Their skills and training are for you to check with them. Carers set their own rates, and who is free changes week to week.