CQC report explained · a nursing home
What the CQC found at Aaron Court Care Home
Rated Inadequate: inspectors found the home performing badly and the CQC has taken enforcement action.
What inspectors found, January 2022
Inspected but not rated; inspectors found strong infection control and visiting arrangements during the COVID-19 pandemic.
This was an announced, targeted inspection on 19 January 2022. Inspectors looked at infection prevention and control, visiting arrangements, and whether staffing pressures linked to COVID-19 were affecting the home.
Inspectors found robust COVID-19 policies and practices. They were assured that visitors were screened, PPE was used safely, testing was available, admissions were managed safely, and visits were supported in line with guidance.
The home was clean and hygienic. The report says the provider had measures to manage COVID-19-related staffing pressures. The service was inspected but not rated, so this report does not give a full quality rating.
COVID-19 planning
The home had detailed policies and practices for managing infection risks. These were reviewed when national guidance changed.
“There were robust policies, procedures and good practices in place to manage risks associated with the COVID-19 pandemic which were regularly reviewed and updated following any changes in national guidance.” from the report
Contact with families
People and their families were supported to stay in contact, including through essential carers, telephone and video calls. Relatives were also supported to visit safely at the end of someone's life.
“People living in the home and their family were supported to maintain contact.” from the report
PPE and hygiene
The home had supplies of PPE, staff had updated training, and inspectors saw PPE being worn correctly. Cleaning took place throughout the day and night.
“The home had good supplies of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for staff and visitors to use.” from the report
Testing and screening
Regular COVID-19 testing was in place for people living in the home, staff, essential carers and visitors. Visitors were screened before entering.
“A programme of regular COVID-19 testing for people in the home, staff, essential carers and visitors to the home was implemented.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01How are you managing any current staffing pressures, and what effect have they had on people's care?
- 02What are the current rules for family visits, including visits by essential carers?
- 03How do you provide safe visits when a resident is nearing the end of their life?
- 04How often are residents, staff and visitors tested for COVID-19 now?
- 05How do you check that staff have enough PPE and use it correctly?
This was a targeted inspection of infection prevention and control, visiting arrangements and COVID-19-related staffing pressures; it did not assess the other four quality areas and the service was not rated. This explanation was written from the published report of 29 January 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.
What inspectors found, July 2019
Rated Good; inspectors found safe, kind and personalised care, with improvements since the previous inspection.
The inspection took place over 17 and 18 June 2019. It was unannounced on the first day and announced on the second. One inspector spoke with five people, two relatives and staff, observed care, and reviewed care, medicine, recruitment and management records.
The home was rated Good in all five areas: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. Inspectors found that people were treated with dignity, their risks and medicines were managed safely, and there were enough staff to meet their needs.
At the previous inspection in June 2018, the home was rated Requires Improvement and was in breach of two regulations. Inspectors found that improvements had been made and that the home was no longer in breach. CQC said it would continue monitoring information about the home.
Safe medicines
Inspectors found that trained staff managed medicines safely, completed medicine records correctly and used guidance for medicines given only when needed.
“Medicine administration records (MARs) were completed correctly.” from the report
Kind and dignified care
Staff knew people's needs and preferences. Inspectors saw respectful support, including staff protecting privacy and encouraging independence.
“People received respectful support from staff who knew their individual needs.” from the report
Personalised care plans
Care plans covered people's needs, communication, mobility, diet and areas where they remained independent. Inspectors found them consistent with the care they observed.
“Care plans were person-centred outlining the support people required in all aspects of their daily lives as well as those areas were people remained independent.” from the report
Improvement after the last inspection
The home had addressed the problems found in 2018. A quality lead and regular audits were introduced to support improvements.
“At this inspection we found improvements had been made and the provider was no longer in breach of regulations.” from the report
Activities and inclusion
Activities took place in the home and in local community facilities. The home had created spaces such as a dementia café and a reminiscence pub.
“A programme of activities was in place.” from the report
Limited direct feedback from residents
minorSome people could not tell inspectors specifically about their experiences. Inspectors therefore also relied on observations and feedback from relatives and staff.
“People were not always able to tell us specifically about their experiences of living at Aaron Court.” from the report
- 01How do you make sure staffing levels remain sufficient for people's needs, including at busy times?
- 02How often are care plans reviewed, and how do you check that staff follow the current plans?
- 03What quality checks are now carried out by the quality lead and management team?
- 04How do you assess capacity and make best-interest decisions when someone cannot make a decision for themselves?
- 05How would you support my relative's end of life wishes, including any spiritual or cultural preferences?
This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating and covered all five CQC questions; no one was receiving end of life care during the visit. This explanation was written from the published report of 26 July 2019 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 Aaron Court Care Home
5 rated inspections over 4 years: the service has improved, from Requires improvement to Good.
- January 2022Inspected but not ratedcurrent ratingSafe: Inspected but not rated
- July 2019Goodup from Requires improvementSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- June 2018Requires improvementstayed Requires improvementSafe: Requires improvementEffective: Requires improvementCaring: Requires improvementResponsive: Requires improvementWell-led: Requires improvement
- May 2017Requires improvementdown from GoodSafe: Requires improvementEffective: GoodCaring: Requires improvementResponsive: GoodWell-led: Requires improvement
- July 2015Goodup from Requires improvementSafe: GoodWell-led: Good
- April 2015Requires improvementSafe: Requires improvementEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Requires improvement
- September 2014
Report published without a new overall rating.
- December 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- March 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- February 2012
Report published without a new overall rating.
- December 2010
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 2 December 2010.
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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84 live-in carers within about an hour of Cheshire West and Chester
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. 76 can care for a couple. 10 years' experience on average.
“She is an exemplary carer, she is knowledgable empathetic and very respectful in the home.”
“It was clear that she genuinely cared and her warm approach really helped put our minds at ease.”
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.