CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at Alcott Lane
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
- Safe?
- Good
- Inspectors found enough suitably trained staff, appropriate risk assessments, safe medicines management and effective infection control. Incidents were reported, investigated and used to share learning.
- Effective?
- Good
- Care plans reflected people's needs, strengths and goals. Staff had relevant training, supported people with food and healthcare, and followed the principles of the Mental Capacity Act.
- Caring?
- Good
- Staff treated people with kindness, patience, dignity and respect. They supported people to communicate, make choices, maintain important relationships and develop independence.
- Responsive?
- Good
- Care was personalised and regularly reviewed. People had communication plans, meaningful activities and support to pursue hobbies, relationships and interests in the community.
- Well-led?
- Good
- Inspectors found visible and approachable management, effective governance and a positive culture. The home worked with families, advocates and health and social care professionals.
What inspectors found, January 2023
Alcott Lane rated Good; inspectors found safe, kind and personalised care with strong support for independence and community activities.
This was the first inspection of the newly registered home. Inspectors visited on 23 November 2022. The inspection involved one inspector and an Expert by Experience. They spoke with the two people living there and seven staff, and reviewed care, medicines, recruitment and management records.
The home supported up to four adults with learning disabilities and/or autism. Inspectors found enough trained staff, safe medicines systems, detailed care plans and good infection control. People were supported to make choices, communicate in their preferred way, access healthcare, prepare meals and take part in activities in the local area.
Inspectors saw warm and respectful relationships between people and staff. They found that management systems worked well and that concerns and complaints were taken seriously. The home was rated Good in all five areas: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led.
Kind and individual care
Staff knew people well and adapted support to their communication, sensory and emotional needs. Inspectors saw people who appeared comfortable, happy and engaged.
“They were kind, caring and nurturing and as a result we saw people were at ease, happy, engaged and stimulated.” from the report
Choice and independence
People were supported to make everyday choices, develop skills and take positive risks. Staffing allowed people to go out and follow activities when they wanted.
“Staff supported people to participate in their chosen social and leisure interests on a regular basis and encouraged them to try new things to develop their skills.” from the report
Safe medicines support
Staff followed systems for administering, recording and storing medicines. They worked with health professionals and families to monitor changes after medicine changes.
“Peoples' medicines were managed well. People were supported by staff who followed systems to safely administer, record and store medicines.” from the report
Strong management and teamwork
Management was approachable and used checks, meetings and shared learning to improve care. Staff said they felt supported and valued.
“The service has an established staff team who work well together with positive outcomes for people living in the service.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01How would you adapt care and communication support to my relative's individual needs, including any sensory sensitivities?
- 02How do you review medicines, particularly medicines prescribed only when needed to manage behaviour?
- 03How would my relative be supported to take part in activities, hobbies and trips in the local area?
- 04How are families involved in reviewing care plans and making decisions about care and support?
- 05How would staffing and individual support work if the home had more residents?
This was the first inspection of the newly registered home and covered all five key questions, including infection prevention and control. This explanation was written from the published report of 28 January 2023 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 Alcott Lane
Each visit the CQC has published, newest first, back to the day the home was registered.
- January 2023Goodcurrent ratingSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- July 2021
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 15 July 2021.
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.
Weigh the report against the rest
Fees, photos and reviews from families
How to read CQC ratings and reports
What to check when you visit
At least 100 live-in carers within about an hour of Solihull
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. 78 can care for a couple. 9 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.”
“I have never met a person who is so kind and thinks about others before himself to such an extent as Chris Malagala.”
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.