CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at 55 Sandwich Road
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
What inspectors found, January 2018
55 Sandwich Road was rated Good overall, with Outstanding support for people's independence, activities and community life.
Inspectors visited on 26 October 2017. The visit was announced 24 hours in advance. One inspector spoke with the manager and three staff, observed support, reviewed care plans and risk assessments, and checked records including medicines, staffing, training and recruitment.
The home supports two people with learning disabilities. Inspectors found enough familiar staff, safe medicines practice, suitable staff training and good links with health professionals. Staff understood people's communication and health needs, and supported them to make choices.
The strongest area was Responsive, rated Outstanding. People were learning new skills, taking part in activities, making friends, using local services and going on holiday. The home was rated Good in Safe, Effective, Caring and Well-led. It was rated Good overall, the same overall rating as at the previous inspection in October 2015.
Growing independence
People were supported to learn household and cooking skills, make choices and take more control of everyday life.
“People were supported to cook and clean and have ownership over where they lived.” from the report
Active community lives
People who had previously been isolated were going out more, making friends and taking part in community activities.
“People had previously been isolated but were now active members of their local community.” from the report
Personalised communication
Staff knew people's individual signs and behaviours and used pictures and other tools to help people express choices.
“There were detailed communication passports in place detailing people's individual signs and vocalisations and what they meant” from the report
Kind and calm support
Staff responded consistently when people became anxious. People were calmer and no longer needed physical intervention.
“Staff were exceptionally kind and caring and people were at the heart of everything they did.” from the report
Medicine independence was not a recorded goal
minorInspectors found that staff had not considered whether people could become more independent with their medicines. This was recorded as an area for improvement.
“Staff had not identified people being more independent with medicines as a potential goal, so this was an area for improvement.” from the report
Complaints information may not be meaningful
minorThe complaints procedure used pictures but the manager recognised that it might still not be meaningful for people with complex communication needs. The home used regular monitoring to identify signs that someone was unhappy.
“However, due to people's complex needs the registered manager had identified that even this would not be meaningful to people.” from the report
- 01How do you now assess and support people's independence with taking or managing medicines?
- 02How will you help my relative communicate if they are unhappy or want to make a complaint?
- 03What personal goals would you set with my relative, and how would you measure their progress?
- 04How would you support my relative to take part in community activities and maintain friendships?
- 05How do you make sure new staff learn my relative's communication signs, health needs and support strategies?
This was a planned inspection covering all five key questions and the overall rating, with the previous Good ratings carried forward for Safe, Effective, Caring and Well-led and Responsive improving to Outstanding. This explanation was written from the published report of 6 January 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.
What inspectors found, March 2017
55 Sandwich Road was rated Good; inspectors found that the previous money-handling safety problem had been fixed.
This was an announced, focused inspection on 14 February 2017. The inspector checked whether improvements had been made after a legal breach found in 2015. The inspection looked only at safety.
Inspectors found that people's money was now managed safely and that people could access it when they wanted. Risks were recorded with clear guidance, medicines were given safely, and there were enough trained staff.
The home was rated Good overall and Good for Safe. The previous inspection had rated the service Good overall but required improvement for safety. This focused inspection found that safety had improved and legal requirements were now met.
Money managed safely
The previous problem with spending people's money had been addressed. Spending was monitored, accounted for and supported by receipts.
“People's money was kept safely and was accessed by senior staff only. Monies spent was monitored and accounted for.” from the report
Clear risk guidance
Risks linked to mobility, eating and drinking, and behaviour were recorded. Staff had guidance to reduce these risks.
“People's support plans provided guidelines about how to manage risks and ensure that they received the care they needed to minimise the risks from occurring.” from the report
Safe medicines
Staff were trained and checked as competent. Medicines were stored correctly and records showed they were given as prescribed.
“People received their medicines safely and on time.” from the report
Enough suitable staff
Staffing levels met people's needs, including support for activities and emergencies. Recruitment checks had been completed.
“There were enough staff on duty to meet people's needs and keep them safe.” from the report
Previous financial abuse risk
needs fixingAt the 2015 inspection, people's money had been used inappropriately to pay for a staff meal. The current inspection found that this had been corrected, but it is important to ask how the safeguards are maintained.
“At the last inspection in October 2015, people had not been fully protected from financial abuse.” from the report
- 01How are people's money and spending checked now, and who reviews the receipts and audits?
- 02How often are staff's medicines competencies checked, including for 'when required' medicines?
- 03How are staffing levels arranged when someone needs one-to-one support or two staff to go out?
- 04How are individual risk plans updated after an accident, incident or change in behaviour?
- 05What checks are currently carried out on fire equipment, water temperatures and other safety equipment?
This was an announced focused inspection of Safe only; the other four question ratings were not assessed in this visit, although the overall rating remained Good. This explanation was written from the published report of 7 March 2017 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 55 Sandwich Road
3 rated inspections over 2 years: the service has held its Good rating throughout.
- January 2018Goodcurrent ratingstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: OutstandingWell-led: Good
- March 2017Goodstayed GoodSafe: Good
- November 2015GoodSafe: Requires improvementEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- January 2014
Report published without a new overall rating.
- September 2012
Report published without a new overall rating.
- January 2012
Report published without a new overall rating.
- June 2011
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 3 June 2011.
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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39 live-in carers within about an hour of Kent
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. 33 can care for a couple. 12 years' experience on average.
“Always on time and with a lovely smile for my mum. Theresa is kind and sensitive to my mum's needs.”
“Irene was a very kind and empathetic carer who knew just the right words to say to put a smile on my face.”
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.