CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at 44 Albion Road
Rated Requires improvement: inspectors found the home was not performing as well as it should and told it what to change.
What inspectors found, May 2022
44 Albion Road was rated Good overall; inspectors found safe, kind care, but the environment needed refurbishment and Effective was rated Requires Improvement.
Inspectors visited on 3 and 8 March 2022. They spoke with people living at the home, staff, relatives and health professionals. They observed care and checked care, medicines, staffing, training and management records.
People were generally safe and well cared for. Staff knew people well, treated them with kindness and respect, supported their communication and helped them take part in activities and keep in touch with relatives. Staffing, recruitment, medicines and infection control were found to be safe.
The main weakness was the condition of some shared areas. The kitchen and bathrooms needed renewal, and some decoration and furnishings needed repair. Staff supervision had also not been happening as often as the provider's policy said. The provider said refurbishment was authorised and would be completed within three months, and introduced a new supervision process.
Kind, familiar staff
People were supported by staff who knew them well and had built positive, trusting relationships. Inspectors saw staff giving people patient, one-to-one attention.
“People were supported by kind and caring staff, who knew people well.” from the report
Safe medicines
Medicines were stored, given and recorded safely in the records checked. Staff were trained and their competence was checked before they administered medicines.
“We found staff had completed these records appropriately and there were no recording errors on any of the MAR charts we looked at.” from the report
Choice and activities
People helped make decisions about their care and were supported to take part in activities they enjoyed, including shopping, going to the cinema and visiting relatives.
“People were supported to pursue social interests and activities that were important to them.” from the report
Open management
The home had regular audits, meetings and reviews to gather views and identify improvements. Staff and relatives spoke positively about how the home was run.
“There were effective processes in place to monitor the quality of the service and to make any improvements if required.” from the report
Shared areas needed repair
needs fixingSome communal areas looked worn. The main kitchen and bathrooms needed renewal, and some decoration and furnishings needed repair or replacement.
“Some communal areas of the care home looked worn and in need of refurbishment and regular maintenance.” from the report
Supervision was not consistent
needs fixingThe frequency of staff supervision did not match the provider's policy at the time of inspection. The manager showed inspectors a new form intended to set out regular supervision every six to eight weeks.
“The registered manager acknowledged the frequency of supervision was not in line with the provider's policy” from the report
- 01Has the refurbishment of the kitchen and bathrooms been completed, and can we see the work?
- 02Which communal areas still need repair or renewal?
- 03How often are staff now receiving supervision, and how is this being checked?
- 04How will you support our relative to communicate their choices and preferences?
- 05How will relatives be kept informed about changes in care, incidents or complaints?
This was a comprehensive inspection covering all five CQC questions and checking whether the home was applying the principles of right support, right care and right culture. This explanation was written from the published report of 19 May 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 44 Albion Road
4 rated inspections over 7 years: the service has held its Good rating throughout.
- May 2022Goodcurrent ratingstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: Requires improvementCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- December 2018Goodstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- May 2016Goodstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- November 2015GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- December 2020
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 1 December 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.
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At least 100 live-in carers within about an hour of Sutton
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 £1,230 a week. 81 can care for a couple. 11 years' experience on average.
“She cared for my mum with Alzheimer's with endless patience and kindness, always arriving with a smile and a positive attitude”
“Terry has been of invaluable help to our family while working as a part-time live-in carer for our mother for approximately 6 months”
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.