CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at 66 Hookstone Chase Harrogate
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
What inspectors found, August 2022
Rated Requires Improvement; inspectors found kind, effective care, but staffing and management checks were not reliable enough.
This was an unannounced inspection on 23 June 2022. Inspectors spoke with people living at the home, relatives and staff. They reviewed care plans, medicines records, staff files, training information and management records.
People were treated kindly and supported to make choices, communicate in their preferred ways and take part in activities. Staff supported healthcare, meals, medicines and contact with family. However, activities and outings were sometimes cancelled because there were not enough staff.
The home was rated Good for Effective, Caring and Responsive. It was rated Requires Improvement for Safe and Well-led. This means the inspectors found good experiences in several areas, but limited assurance that safety and management systems were consistently reliable.
Kind and respectful care
People were treated with warmth, patience and respect. Staff understood individual communication needs, including non-verbal communication.
“People received kind and compassionate care from staff who used positive, respectful language which people understood and responded well to.” from the report
Support with health
Staff supported people to attend health checks and use health services. Medicines were administered and recorded through established processes.
“People had health actions plans and health passports which were used by health and social care professionals to support them in the way they needed.” from the report
Choice and independence
People were supported to make decisions, prepare meals in their preferred way and develop daily living skills.
“Staff were keen to help people have the opportunity to try new experiences, develop new skills and gain independence.” from the report
Communication support
People had individual communication plans and information was provided in formats they could understand. Staff used visual cues and other suitable methods.
“People had individual communication plans that detailed effective and preferred methods of communication, including the approach to use for different situations and how to interpret and respond to non-verbal communication.” from the report
Not enough staff
seriousStaffing levels did not always meet people's needs or provide planned one-to-one support. Some outings and activities were cancelled, and people sometimes had to wait for care.
“There were not always enough staff to support people and meet their needs, including for one-to-one support for people.” from the report
Risk records
needs fixingRisks were identified, but records did not always explain how risks were reduced or monitored. Inspectors gave the example of people not always being monitored after a fall.
“Risks to people were identified, however, it was not always clear what action had been taken to mitigate risk or monitor them.” from the report
Weak quality checks
needs fixingAudits were not always completed regularly or acted on. Some problems with documentation and staff training had already been identified but were not resolved within the agreed timescales.
“Audits in place were not always robust or completed on a regular basis to highlight and address issues within the service.” from the report
Care plans were uneven
minorSome care plans were personalised and detailed, but others needed more information about people's individual needs. Reviews were not consistent for everyone.
“Information and detail included in care plans for people was variable.” from the report
- 01How many staff will be on duty for each shift, and how will you provide planned one-to-one support?
- 02What has changed since the inspection to prevent outings and activities being cancelled because of staffing?
- 03How are new staff shadowed and assessed before they provide direct care?
- 04How do you record and monitor risks, including what happens after someone has a fall?
- 05Which audit findings were outstanding at the inspection, and have they now been fully resolved?
This was the first comprehensive inspection of the newly registered service and covered all five key questions; infection prevention and control was also checked under Safe. This explanation was written from the published report of 17 August 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 66 Hookstone Chase Harrogate
5 rated inspections over 6 years: the service has slipped, from Good to Requires improvement.
- August 2022Requires improvementcurrent ratingdown from GoodSafe: Requires improvementEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Requires improvement
Read what inspectors found at 66 Hookstone Chase Harrogate →
- April 2020Goodstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- September 2017Goodup from Requires improvementSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Requires improvement
- February 2017Requires improvementdown from GoodSafe: Requires improvementEffective: Requires improvementCaring: Requires improvementResponsive: Requires improvementWell-led: Inadequate
- March 2016GoodSafe: Requires improvementEffective: 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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28 live-in carers within about an hour of North Yorkshire
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 £1,010 to £1,290 a week. 27 can care for a couple. 12 years' experience on average.
“Carla has been a god send with the implementation of bringing mum back home from respite care.”
“She was always 'just present enough': attentive, available, kind and engaging, but without ever over-stepping any boundary”
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.