CQC report explained · a nursing home
What the CQC found at Atherton
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
- Safe?
- Good
- Inspectors were assured that infection prevention and control arrangements were protecting people. This included safe admissions, visitor arrangements, PPE, testing, hygiene and outbreak management.
- Effective?
- Good
- This question was not rated or assessed in the report.
- Caring?
- Good
- This question was not rated or assessed in the report.
- Responsive?
- Good
- This question was not rated or assessed in the report.
- Well-led?
- Good
- This question was not rated or assessed in the report.
What inspectors found, November 2020
Inspected but not rated; inspectors were assured that infection control and admissions were safe.
The CQC visited the home on 28 October 2020. The visit was announced and formed part of a coronavirus infection prevention and control review in care homes.
Inspectors found that the home had safe admission arrangements and measures to reduce the spread of Covid-19. They were assured about visitors, shielding, social distancing, personal protective equipment, testing, cleanliness and managing outbreaks.
The home was inspected but not rated. This means the visit did not give an overall quality rating or a rated judgement across all areas of care.
Safe admissions
The home had processes for admitting people safely during the pandemic and reducing the risk of infection entering the home.
“We were assured that the provider was admitting people safely to the service.” from the report
Infection control measures
Inspectors were assured that the home was using PPE safely, supporting testing and following social distancing and shielding arrangements.
“We were assured that the provider was using PPE effectively and safely.” from the report
Clean environment and outbreak planning
Inspectors were assured about hygiene practices, the layout of the premises and the home's arrangements for preventing or managing outbreaks.
“We were assured that the provider was making sure infection outbreaks can be effectively prevented or managed.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01How are you currently admitting new residents safely and checking for infection risks?
- 02How do you make sure staff use personal protective equipment correctly and safely?
- 03How are residents and staff currently accessing testing?
- 04What arrangements are in place for visitors, shielding and social distancing?
- 05How would you prevent or manage an infection outbreak, and when was the infection control policy last updated?
This was an announced thematic review focused on infection prevention and control during the coronavirus pandemic; it did not rate the other key questions or give an overall quality rating. This explanation was written from the published report of 18 November 2020 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.
What inspectors found, September 2018
Rated Good; inspectors found safe, kind and personalised care, with minor medicine recording issues already addressed.
Inspectors visited on 6 and 7 August 2018. The first visit was unannounced and the second was arranged. This was the home’s first inspection. Six people were living there, although the home could support up to nine.
All five areas were rated Good: safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led. Inspectors found enough trained staff, detailed care plans and risk assessments, safe medicines systems, and good links with health professionals.
People were treated with kindness and respect. Staff supported independence, communication, activities and family relationships. The home had clear leadership, regular checks and a system for learning from incidents and complaints.
Detailed safety planning
People had personalised risk assessments and care plans. These were reviewed and updated when needs changed.
“Risk assessments and care plans were extremely detailed and relatives confirmed being engaged in the assessment process” from the report
Skilled and sufficient staff
Inspectors found staffing levels were adjusted to people’s needs and activities. Recruitment checks and individual training were in place.
“We found enough skilled staff on duty to meet people's needs.” from the report
Kind, respectful care
Staff understood people’s needs and preferences. Inspectors saw people being treated with dignity and respect.
“We saw compassionate staff that consistently treated people with kindness, dignity and respect.” from the report
Promoting independence
The home supported people to communicate, make choices, develop skills and take part in community life.
“Management and staff had high expectations of what people could achieve and explored opportunities to empower people and promote their independence.” from the report
Open management
Relatives and staff described managers as approachable, honest and supportive. The home used meetings and checks to improve care.
“People and their relatives spoke positively and with confidence about the management and said there was an open and honest culture at the service.” from the report
Minor medicine processes
minorInspectors found minor concerns about measuring liquid medicines and counting medicines when someone had been away. The home addressed these issues before the inspection ended, and no one was affected.
“We identified some minor concerns with how the stock of liquid medicines was measured as well as the process for the counting of medicines if a person had been away from the service” from the report
Lift not yet installed
minorThere was no lift when inspectors visited, so three upstairs bedrooms could not yet be accessed regardless of mobility needs. Work to install one was described as imminent.
“At the time of inspection there was not a lift in the building but work was imminent to install a lift” from the report
- 01How do you measure and check liquid medicines now, following the minor concerns identified by inspectors?
- 02Has the lift now been installed, and can all bedrooms and areas be reached by someone with limited mobility?
- 03How would you meet my relative’s specific complex health needs, including nutrition, skin care and mobility?
- 04What activities and community visits could my relative take part in, and how would staffing be arranged for them?
- 05How will my family be involved in care plan reviews and decisions about changes in care?
This was the home’s first inspection and covered all five key questions; inspectors did not carry out a SOFI observation and reviewed two care records and two medicine records. This explanation was written from the published report of 21 September 2018 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 Atherton
Each visit the CQC has published, newest first, back to the day the home was registered.
- November 2020Inspected but not ratedcurrent ratingSafe: Inspected but not rated
- September 2018GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- July 2017
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 27 July 2017.
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
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At least 100 live-in carers within about an hour of Wigan
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 £980 to £1,260 a week. 92 can care for a couple. 11 years' experience on average.
“Primrose is a very kind and compassionate healthcare professional”
“He developed a close affinity with Terence, spending time talking with him before he retired to bed and looking after his needs during the night.”
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.