CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at Ambleside Residential Care Home
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
- Safe?
- Good
- Inspectors were assured about most infection prevention and control arrangements. They were only somewhat assured about the safe use of PPE and the prevention or management of outbreaks.
- Effective?
- Good
- No rating or findings for this question were given in this targeted inspection.
- Caring?
- Good
- No rating or findings for this question were given in this targeted inspection.
- Responsive?
- Good
- No rating or findings for this question were given in this targeted inspection.
- Well-led?
- Good
- No rating or findings for this question were given in this targeted inspection.
What inspectors found, December 2020
Ambleside Residential Care Home was inspected but not rated; inspectors found mostly suitable infection controls, with some risks around PPE disposal and staff arrangements.
This was an announced, targeted inspection on 20 November 2020. It checked infection prevention and control arrangements during the coronavirus outbreak, rather than the full range of care quality questions.
Inspectors were assured about visitors, social distancing, admissions, testing, cleaning, the building layout and the infection control policy. People were cared for in their bedrooms where possible, and staff spent time talking with them during regular checks.
There were some shortfalls. Staff were not always assigned to separate people, some agency staff worked elsewhere, and staff risk assessments had not initially been completed. Inspectors also gave advice about disposing of contaminated waste, and this was addressed during the inspection.
The service was inspected but not rated. This means the report does not give a Good, Requires improvement or Inadequate rating for the home.
Infection control arrangements
Inspectors were assured that the home had suitable arrangements for visitors, social distancing, admissions, testing, hygiene and its infection control policy.
“We were assured that the provider was preventing visitors from catching and spreading infections.” from the report
Support for wellbeing
People were cared for in their bedrooms to reduce infection risk, while staff continued to spend time talking with them during regular checks.
“Staff were supporting people's wellbeing by spending time talking to people in their rooms when making their regular checks.” from the report
PPE availability
PPE was available along the corridors, with signs showing staff how to put it on and take it off safely.
“There were boxes of personal protective equipment (PPE) at regular intervals along the corridors outside people's rooms.” from the report
Staffing arrangements and infection spread
seriousStaff were not assigned to care for separate people, and agency staff also worked elsewhere. Inspectors said this increased the risk of infection spreading.
“At the time of our inspection, staff were not designated to care for separate people which increased the risk of spreading infection.” from the report
Staff risk assessments
needs fixingRisk assessments for staff who might be more vulnerable to COVID-19 were not in place during the inspection. The manager later confirmed these had been completed.
“Staff also did not have risk assessments in place to assess factors that would make them at increased risk from COVID-19.” from the report
Contaminated waste disposal
needs fixingInspectors gave advice about the correct disposal of contaminated waste. The manager dealt with this concern immediately during the inspection.
“We sign posted the registered manager to the correct procedure for the disposal of contaminated waste.” from the report
- 01Are staff now assigned to separate groups of people to reduce the risk of infection spreading?
- 02Do agency staff work at other services, and how do you manage the infection risk this creates?
- 03Have risk assessments for all staff at increased risk from COVID-19 been completed and kept up to date?
- 04How do you check that contaminated waste is disposed of correctly?
- 05What arrangements are currently in place for people who want to leave their bedrooms or spend time with others?
This was an announced, targeted inspection of infection prevention and control practices only, so the service was inspected but not rated and the other care quality questions were not assessed. This explanation was written from the published report of 9 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.
What inspectors found, May 2019
Ambleside Residential Care Home was rated Good in all areas; inspectors found safe, kind and personalised care.
This was an unannounced inspection on 12 February 2019. One inspector reviewed care records, staff files, training records, medicines information, complaints, accidents, incidents and quality checks. They also spoke with five people, seven relatives and eight staff members.
The inspectors found that people were safe and received effective, caring and responsive support. Staff understood people's needs, preferences and communication. There were enough staff, medicines were managed safely, and people were supported with food, drink and healthcare.
The home had an open management style. People and relatives were involved in care planning and in suggesting improvements, including activities and spending time with animals. The home had been rated Good at the previous inspection in 2016 and remained Good in all five areas.
Safety and staffing
People had individual risk assessments, staff knew how to protect them from harm, and inspectors found enough staff to provide the care needed.
“There were enough staff working for the service to support people and provide the assistance and care they needed.” from the report
Personalised care
Care plans reflected people's preferences, choices and communication needs. Staff adapted support, including by using picture cards for someone who could not communicate verbally.
“People received personalised support and with their relatives or representative were involved in planning and reviewing the care provided.” from the report
Kind and respectful support
Inspectors saw warm relationships between staff and people. Staff respected privacy, dignity and people's choices about how to spend their time.
“Staff spoke to people in a kind and caring way.” from the report
Activities and community
People could choose from different activities, including crafts, pets and caring for animals. Relatives and visitors were welcomed and involved.
“Hutches for chickens, rabbits and guinea pigs had been installed in the garden and people joined staff to feed the animals and clean them out as needed.” from the report
Open management
The management encouraged people, relatives and staff to share views and suggest changes. Quality checks were carried out across areas such as care plans, medicines and infection control.
“The registered manager had an 'open door' policy, regular team meetings and relative's forums to encourage involvement in developing the services for the benefit of people living in the home.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01How would you assess and review my relative's individual risks, including falls, mobility, nutrition and skin care?
- 02How would staff support my relative if they could not communicate verbally or had difficulty making decisions?
- 03How are medicines checked, recorded and reviewed, including when extra medicines such as antibiotics are prescribed?
- 04What activities would suit my relative's interests, and how would you support them if they preferred to stay in their room?
- 05How would you involve us in care plan reviews and decisions if my relative's health or needs changed?
This was an unannounced planned inspection covering all five CQC questions, with the home rated Good in each area. This explanation was written from the published report of 15 May 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 Ambleside Residential Care Home
3 rated inspections over 4 years: the service has improved, from Requires improvement to Good.
- December 2020Inspected but not ratedcurrent ratingSafe: Inspected but not rated
Read what inspectors found at Ambleside Residential Care Home →
- May 2019Goodstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
Read what inspectors found at Ambleside Residential Care Home →
- August 2016Goodup from Requires improvementSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- June 2015Requires improvementSafe: Requires improvementEffective: InadequateCaring: GoodResponsive: Requires improvementWell-led: Requires improvement
- December 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- February 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- April 2012
Report published without a new overall rating.
- December 2010
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 8 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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19 live-in carers within about an hour of East Sussex
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 £1,000 to £1,400 a week. 13 can care for a couple. 10 years' experience on average.
“When he point blank refused to go into hospital for a life saving blood transfusion she talked him through the situation and agreed to go in the ambulance with him and stayed until he was settled.”
“Una felt safe, secure and loved in her time with Debbie which is a gift that I am eternally grateful for.”
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.