CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at Adalena House
Rated Requires improvement: inspectors found the home was not performing as well as it should and told it what to change.
What inspectors found, January 2020
Rated Good; inspectors found safe, kind and person-centred care, with formal quality audits still being developed.
This was a planned inspection on 16 December 2019. One inspector spoke with all six people living in the home, the provider and one staff member. The inspector also checked medicines, care records, the building and management information.
The home was rated Good in all five areas: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. People said they felt safe, respected and listened to. Inspectors found enough trained staff, safe medicines support, good infection control and care that was tailored to people's needs.
The home supports up to six people with a learning disability, autistic spectrum disorder or physical disability. Inspectors found that people were encouraged to make choices, build independence, access healthcare and take part in activities. The overall rating was unchanged from the previous inspection, published on 6 September 2017.
People felt safe
People told the inspector they felt safe and looked after. Staff understood safeguarding and risk management.
“People told us they felt safe and looked after by staff.” from the report
Kind and respectful staff
People described staff as kind and patient. Staff respected privacy, dignity and individual differences.
“People told us staff were kind and patient and treated them in a caring way.” from the report
Choice and independence
People were involved in care planning and decisions. Staff supported people to develop skills and remain as independent as possible.
“The outcomes for people using the service reflected the principles and values of Registering the Right Support by promoting choice and control, independence and inclusion.” from the report
Activities and relationships
People enjoyed a range of social and leisure activities, including outings and holidays. The home also supported people to maintain relationships.
“People said they enjoyed a range of social and leisure activities including meals out, shopping, shows, days out and holidays.” from the report
Good healthcare support
Staff worked with health and social care professionals and helped people access healthcare promptly.
“The staff team worked closely and effectively with health and social care professionals.” from the report
Formal quality audits were still developing
minorThe manager carried out frequent informal checks, but the home was still developing more formal audits to record and evidence its monitoring.
“They were developing more formal audits to provide evidence of checks, assist with monitoring care and keep the provider informed about the care and management of the home.” from the report
- 01What formal quality audits have been introduced since the inspection, and what have they found?
- 02How are people involved when new staff are recruited, and how do you make sure staffing is enough when people go out or take part in activities?
- 03How are my relative's communication needs recorded and shared with staff?
- 04What activities and opportunities for independence would be available for my relative?
- 05How would you support my relative and the other people living here if someone needed end of life care?
This was a planned inspection covering all five CQC questions; the previous overall rating was also Good, published on 6 September 2017. This explanation was written from the published report of 11 January 2020 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, September 2017
Adalena House was rated Good; inspectors found kind, safe and personalised care, with an ongoing safeguarding concern being investigated.
The unannounced inspection took place on 20 July 2017. The inspector spoke with five people, observed staff, spoke with managers and staff, and reviewed care, medicine, staffing and management records.
All five areas were rated Good: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. People said they felt safe, were happy and were treated kindly. Inspectors found enough staff, safe medicines management, suitable training and personalised care plans.
There was an ongoing safeguarding concern, which senior staff were investigating with the local authority. Inspectors also noted that outside professionals had previously identified record-keeping improvements, but confirmed these had been completed. The home had also been rated Good at its previous comprehensive inspection in January 2015.
Kind and respectful care
People said staff were kind and caring. Inspectors saw staff spending time with people and respecting their privacy, dignity and relationships.
“People we spoke with said staff were kind and caring and they felt safe” from the report
Personalised support
Care plans reflected people's routines, choices and needs. They were written in a partly pictorial format to help people understand them.
“Care plans were personalised and easily accessible to people.” from the report
Choice and activities
People could choose their meals, routines and activities. Staff helped people take part in work, voluntary activities, day services and caring for pets.
“People said they were able to choose when to get up and go to bed, what to do and daily living, social and leisure activities” from the report
Staffing and training
Inspectors found enough staff to provide personal care and activities. Staff had training, supervision and care qualifications or were working towards them.
“There were sufficient staff available to provide people with personal care and social and leisure activities.” from the report
Quality monitoring
Managers carried out regular checks on care plans, medicines, health and safety and infection control. Issues found through checks were recorded and acted on.
“Audits were frequent and included, care plans, health and safety, medication and infection control.” from the report
Safeguarding investigation
seriousAn ongoing safeguarding concern was being investigated by the local authority during the inspection. Senior staff were cooperating and providing information, but families should ask what the outcome was and what changes followed.
“There was an on-going safeguarding concern. Senior staff were working in cooperation with the local authority to provide information” from the report
Previous record-keeping improvements
minorOutside professionals said some improvements to record keeping had been needed. They confirmed these improvements had been completed by the time of the inspection.
“Although they felt some improvements in record keeping had been needed, they confirmed this had been completed.” from the report
- 01What was the outcome of the safeguarding concern mentioned in the inspection report, and what changes were made afterwards?
- 02How do you check that care plans and other records remain complete, accurate and up to date?
- 03How are people involved in reviewing their care plans and choosing their daily activities?
- 04How would staffing levels be adjusted if people's care or activity needs increased?
- 05Has the planned change in day-to-day management taken place, and who is now responsible for running the home?
This was an unannounced inspection of the overall service, covering all five CQC questions; all five ratings were Good and the previous inspection in 2015 was also rated Good. This explanation was written from the published report of 6 September 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 Adalena House
3 rated inspections over 4 years: the service has held its Good rating throughout.
- January 2020Goodcurrent ratingstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- September 2017Goodstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- July 2015GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- October 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- December 2012
Report published without a new overall rating.
- February 2012
Report published without a new overall rating.
- January 2011
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 7 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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32 live-in carers within about an hour of Blackpool
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 £1,250 a week. 31 can care for a couple. 12 years' experience on average.
“Thanks to Tracy, Dad was always immaculately dressed and clean, his meals were all home cooked and nutritionally well balanced and his home was always kept really clean and tidy.”
“He developed a close affinity with Terence, spending time talking with him before he retired to bed and looking after his needs during the night.”
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.