CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at Alderwood Care Home
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
What inspectors found, August 2022
Rated Requires Improvement; inspectors found gaps in care records and some delays in care, although people generally felt safe and well cared for.
This was an unannounced inspection. Inspectors visited on 9 June 2022 and carried out further checks by telephone and email up to 28 June. They spoke with six people, five relatives and five staff, and reviewed care records, medicines records and staff recruitment files.
The main concern was record keeping. Records about creams, food and drink, repositioning, pressure-relieving mattresses and thickened drinks were not always accurate or complete. This meant inspectors could not always tell whether people had received the care they needed. The home breached Regulation 17 on good governance.
People and relatives generally said they felt safe and were happy with the care. Staff recruitment, medicines administration, infection control and safeguarding systems were found to be working well. However, some people reported delays with call bells and difficulty getting baths or showers as often as they wanted.
The overall rating changed from Good at the previous inspection to Requires Improvement. Safe and Well-led were both rated Requires Improvement. The other three areas were not rated in this inspection.
Infection control
Inspectors were assured that the home had suitable measures for PPE, testing, visiting and managing infection outbreaks.
“We were assured that the provider was using PPE effectively and safely.” from the report
Medicines
Medicines were stored securely and administration records were accurate when medicines were given. Plans were also in place for medicines prescribed when needed.
“People received their medication safely and we saw MAR were completed accurately by staff when medicines were administered.” from the report
People felt safe
People and relatives generally said they felt safe. Staff had safeguarding training and understood how to report possible abuse or neglect.
“People and relatives told us they felt safe as a result of the care they received.” from the report
Kind care
Relatives described staff as kind and caring, and said people were treated well and presented smartly.
“The staff are so kind and caring with everyone.” from the report
Incomplete care records
seriousImportant records were missing or inconsistent. This included records about repositioning, skin creams, fluids, pressure mattresses and thickened drinks, so inspectors could not always confirm that care had been provided safely.
“Accurate and contemporaneous records were not always maintained regarding cream charts, food/drink intake, re-positioning and pressure mattress settings.” from the report
Quality checks had not solved the problem
needs fixingThe manager had identified record keeping as an issue through audits, but accurate records were still not being maintained at the inspection. Inspectors recommended stronger quality assurance.
“We found accurate records were still not being maintained at the time of our inspection however, meaning we couldn't always be certain people's care was being delivered as required.” from the report
- 01What has changed since the inspection to make sure repositioning, skin creams, fluid intake and pressure mattress settings are recorded accurately every time?
- 02How do you check that thickened drinks are prepared in line with speech and language therapy guidance?
- 03What staffing changes or checks have been made to reduce delays in answering call bells and helping people with baths or showers?
- 04What action did you report to CQC after the Regulation 17 breach, and what evidence shows the changes are working?
- 05How will you make sure audits identify and fix record-keeping problems promptly?
This was an unannounced focused inspection prompted by concerns about skin integrity; Safe and Well-led were rated, while the other three ratings were not given in this report. This explanation was written from the published report of 5 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.
What inspectors found, December 2020
Alderwood Care Home was inspected but not rated; inspectors were assured about its Covid-19 infection prevention measures.
CQC carried out an announced, targeted inspection on 20 November 2020. It focused on infection prevention and control during a coronavirus outbreak, rather than the full range of care provided.
Inspectors found information for visitors, symptom checks, social distancing measures and appropriate isolation for people who tested positive. The home was closed to new admissions because of the recent outbreak.
Inspectors were assured that personal protective equipment, testing, cleaning, ventilation and infection control procedures were being used. Staff had received extra infection control training, and there were activities and video calls to support people's wellbeing.
The service was inspected but not rated. The report says no rating was awarded because this was a targeted inspection looking at infection control and prevention measures.
Visitor infection checks
Visitors were given information about infection control procedures, and people with coronavirus symptoms could be refused entry.
“Information was displayed to inform visitors about any infection control procedures relating to Covid-19.” from the report
PPE and testing
Inspectors found that staff used protective equipment and that testing arrangements were in place for residents and staff.
“We were assured that the provider was using PPE effectively and safely.” from the report
Safe isolation
People who tested positive for Covid-19 were isolated in their bedrooms. New admissions and people returning from hospital were also subject to isolation measures.
“Where people had tested positive for Covid-19, we saw they were appropriately isolated in bedrooms.” from the report
Support for wellbeing
The home provided extra activities, video calls and themed events to help people stay connected and maintain their spirits during the pandemic.
“This included providing additional activities, video calling, meetings and themed events, such as Italian food tasting, to give people something to look forward to each week.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01Has the coronavirus outbreak ended, and what infection control measures are still in place?
- 02How are visitors checked for symptoms and informed about the home's infection control procedures?
- 03How are new admissions and people returning from hospital isolated?
- 04How often are residents and staff tested now?
- 05What is the home's latest full inspection rating for care areas not covered by this targeted inspection?
This was an announced targeted inspection of infection prevention and control practices during a coronavirus outbreak; it did not rate the other areas of care. This explanation was written from the published report of 2 December 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.
Every inspection of Alderwood Care Home
6 rated inspections over 7 years: the service has slipped, from Good to Requires improvement.
- August 2022Requires improvementcurrent ratingSafe: Requires improvementEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Requires improvement
- December 2020Inspected but not ratedSafe: Inspected but not rated
- January 2020Goodup from Requires improvementSafe: GoodWell-led: Good
- January 2019Requires improvementstayed Requires improvementSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: Requires improvementWell-led: Requires improvement
- June 2018Requires improvementstayed Requires improvementSafe: InadequateEffective: Requires improvementCaring: GoodResponsive: Requires improvementWell-led: Requires improvement
- April 2017Requires improvementdown from GoodSafe: GoodEffective: Requires improvementCaring: GoodResponsive: Requires improvementWell-led: Requires improvement
- April 2015GoodSafe: GoodEffective: Requires improvementCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- October 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- December 2012
Report published without a new overall rating.
- November 2011
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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