CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at Acorn Close
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
What inspectors found, November 2019
Rated Good; inspectors found safe, kind and personalised care, with all five areas rated Good.
This was an unannounced inspection on 19 September 2019. The inspection team spoke with seven people living at the home, five staff members and a visiting professional. They reviewed four people's care records, medicines records and records about how the home was managed.
People told inspectors they felt safe and were treated kindly and respectfully. Staff understood people's mental health needs, choices and preferences. Care plans were detailed, personalised and regularly updated. Medicines were managed safely, and staff supported people to access health professionals, activities and relationships that mattered to them.
The home was rated Good overall and Good in Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. This means inspectors found people's outcomes were consistently good and that the home was consistently managed. The previous inspection rating was also Good.
Personalised care
Care plans reflected people's needs, preferences and cultural requirements. They were reviewed regularly and gave staff clear guidance about daily support.
“Care plans were detailed and highly personalised. They were regularly reviewed and changes made as appropriate.” from the report
Kind and respectful staff
People described staff as kind and friendly. Staff protected people's dignity and encouraged them to make their own choices.
“People told us staff were kind and friendly.” from the report
Safe medicines support
Staff were trained and checked as competent to administer medicines. Records showed medicines were stored safely and administration records were completed correctly.
“Medicine was appropriately and safely stored and we saw staff had correctly completed medicine administration records.” from the report
Good health support
Staff worked with health professionals and kept track of appointments. People also had hospital passports containing important health and communication information.
“The registered manager had good oversight of people's health appointments to ensure appointments were not missed or follow up appointments were made.” from the report
Active quality monitoring
The management team used audits, complaints, incidents and feedback to identify issues and make improvements.
“The management team carried out a range of regular audits and checks to ensure people continued to receive high quality care.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01How will you assess and review my relative's mental health needs and risks as they change?
- 02How often will my relative's care plan and risk assessments be reviewed, and how will they be involved?
- 03How will you support my relative to manage or receive their medicines safely?
- 04What activities and support for family relationships would be available to my relative?
- 05How would you share important information with hospital staff if my relative needed to go to hospital?
This was an unannounced inspection of the care home, including both the premises and the care provided, and it assessed all five key questions. This explanation was written from the published report of 29 November 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.
What inspectors found, January 2017
Rated Good; inspectors found safe, kind and personalised care, with occasional limits on going out and some medicines records needing improvement.
Inspectors visited on 12 December 2016. They gave 48 hours' notice because many people went out and they wanted people to be available to speak with them. Two inspectors spoke with eight people, a relative, staff and health and social care professionals. They reviewed three care plans, two staff recruitment files, training records, surveys, audits and other records.
The home supported 21 people with learning disabilities, from a maximum of 23. All five areas were rated Good: safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led. Inspectors found staff were trained, kind and respectful. People helped make decisions about their care, meals, activities and daily lives. Care plans reflected people's individual needs and supported independence.
There were two points to watch. The manager said that on a few occasions people could not go out when they wanted because staff were unavailable to support them. An audit also found four medicine containers without the required opening dates, although inspectors said this did not pose a risk because medicines were replaced every 28 days. The report did not record any breaches or enforcement action.
Kind and respectful staff
People consistently described staff as kind and friendly. Inspectors saw staff offering reassurance, respecting privacy and adapting how they communicated.
“People we spoke with unanimously told us that staff were kind and caring.” from the report
Personalised support
Care plans included people's histories, preferences, needs and goals. People helped assess and review their care.
“People's care plans were 'person centred' because they contained information about people's life history and individual preferences.” from the report
Independence and choice
People were supported to go out, use public transport, make meals and take part in activities without unnecessary restrictions.
“The risk assessments showed that people were supported to be independent and to make choices about how they spent their time.” from the report
Staff training and knowledge
Staff received ongoing training and supervision. Inspectors found that staff knew the people they supported and understood their needs.
“All staff had received the relevant training to equip them with the knowledge and skills they needed to support who used the service.” from the report
Occasional limits on going out
needs fixingThe manager said that on a few occasions people could not go out when they wanted because staff were not available to support them. The manager was seeking extra funding for one-to-one support for one person.
“on a few occasions people had not been able to go out when they wanted because staff were not available to support them.” from the report
Medicine containers not always dated
minorAn audit found four medicine containers without the date they were opened. Inspectors said this did not pose a risk because medicines were replaced every 28 days, but staff had not followed the home's policy.
“an audit on 29 November 2016 identified four undated containers.” from the report
- 01How do you make sure people can go out when they want, particularly when they need one-to-one support?
- 02What action was taken after four medicine containers were found without opening dates?
- 03How often are medicine records and staff competence checked now?
- 04How are my relative's care plan, goals and activity choices reviewed with them and their family?
- 05What activities and opportunities for independence would be available for my relative?
This was a planned inspection covering all five questions, including the overall quality and legal requirements of the home. This explanation was written from the published report of 17 January 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 Acorn Close
2 rated inspections over 3 years: the service has held its Good rating throughout.
- November 2019Goodcurrent ratingstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- January 2017GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- November 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- November 2012
Report published without a new overall rating.
- April 2012
Report published without a new overall rating.
- January 2012
Report published without a new overall rating.
- June 2011
Report published without a new overall rating.
- January 2011
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 20 January 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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At least 100 live-in carers within about an hour of Leicestershire
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. 82 can care for a couple. 12 years' experience on average.
“If you bump into her in the night on her way to the bathroom she will still inquire how you are and if everything is alright.”
“Together Earther and I supported her to die at home with great dignity and compassion and him to continue with life.”
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.