CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at Avenue House - Bristol
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
What inspectors found, January 2021
Inspected but not rated; inspectors found strong infection prevention and control arrangements.
This was an announced, targeted inspection on 9 December 2020. It checked infection prevention and control because of coronavirus outbreaks in care homes.
Inspectors found good arrangements for safe visiting, cleaning, social distancing, testing, isolation and the use of protective equipment. They said they were assured across all the infection control areas they checked.
The home was inspected but not rated. This means the visit did not provide an overall quality rating or a rated judgement about all five areas of care.
Safe visiting
The home created a separate visiting room with a screen and microphones so people could see visitors more safely.
“The home had created a purpose built room in the grounds of the house to enable people to see their visitors safely.” from the report
Testing and isolation
People and staff were tested regularly, and the home could isolate anyone with symptoms or a positive result.
“People and staff were tested regularly. This enabled steps to be taken to isolate anyone with a positive result.” from the report
Protective equipment
The home had good supplies of protective equipment and staff were trained to use it safely.
“The home had good supplies of PPE and staff received training in how to use it safely.” from the report
Cleaning and distancing
Extra cleaning focused on frequently touched surfaces, and signs reminded people to keep apart.
“Additional cleaning had been implemented to ensure the environment was clean. This included frequent touch points such as door handles.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01How are people and staff tested now, and what happens if someone has symptoms or a positive result?
- 02How can my relative see visitors, and are the visiting arrangements still available?
- 03How often are frequently touched surfaces cleaned?
- 04What training do staff receive in using protective equipment safely?
- 05How do you keep your infection prevention and control policy up to date?
This was a targeted inspection of infection prevention and control practices only, so it did not rate the other areas of care or give an overall quality rating. This explanation was written from the published report of 1 January 2021 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 2017
Rated Good; inspectors found kind, personalised care, with some medicines and record-keeping errors corrected or needing improvement.
The inspection was unannounced and took place on 14 November 2017. Inspectors spoke with 10 people living at the home, three relatives and staff. They also reviewed care records and documents about how the home was run.
The home was rated Good overall and Good in all five areas: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. People said they felt safe and were treated with kindness, dignity and respect. Inspectors also found enough staff, suitable recruitment checks, personalised care plans, activities and systems for complaints.
The home had improved since the previous inspection, when it was rated Requires Improvement and had breached the rules about Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards applications. Inspectors found that this issue had been addressed and the breach no longer applied.
There were still some shortfalls. Stock levels for three medicines did not match the records, although this was checked and corrected the day after the inspection. Accident and incident forms did not always explain what had been considered or done to prevent a repeat.
Kind and respectful care
People and relatives spoke positively about the care. Inspectors saw staff treating people kindly, protecting their dignity and supporting their independence.
“We observed staff treat people with respect and in a kind and pleasant manner.” from the report
Personalised support
Care plans covered individual needs and preferences, including mobility, nutrition, personal care and emotional needs. A pre-admission assessment helped the home plan care before someone arrived.
“People received care that was person centred and that met their needs.” from the report
Good staff support
Inspectors found enough staff to meet people's needs safely. Staff had training, supervision and appraisals to help them carry out their roles.
“There were sufficient numbers of suitably qualified staff to ensure people's safety.” from the report
Improved legal safeguards
The home had acted on the previous inspection's concern about applications for Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards. Its policy had been updated and senior staff had received further training.
“At this inspection, we found that the action had been taken and the service was no longer in breach.” from the report
Medicine stock records
needs fixingThree of five medicine stock checks did not match the home's records. The errors were linked to staff not recording medicines carried forward, but the home rechecked all stock levels and sent evidence that this had been done the next day.
“However, the stock levels of three medicines were incorrect.” from the report
Accident and incident records
needs fixingForms did not always record enough information about what had been considered or done to prevent incidents happening again. This information was recorded inconsistently.
“We did discuss that the record forms for accidents and incidents would benefit from some more information in areas to fully state what had been considered and put in place to avoid reoccurrence.” from the report
- 01How are medicine stock levels checked now, and how do you make sure medicines carried forward are recorded correctly?
- 02How do you record accidents and incidents, including the steps taken to prevent them happening again?
- 03What progress has been made in involving people living at the home directly in the board of trustees?
- 04Has the planned dignity in care champion role been put in place, and what does it involve?
- 05How are Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards applications monitored and followed up now?
This was an unannounced inspection of the overall service and covered all five key questions; it also checked that the previous Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards breach had been addressed. This explanation was written from the published report of 1 December 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 Avenue House - Bristol
2 rated inspections over a year: the service has improved, from Requires improvement to Good.
- January 2021Inspected but not ratedcurrent ratingSafe: Inspected but not rated
- December 2017Goodup from Requires improvementSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- November 2016Requires improvementSafe: Requires improvementEffective: Requires improvementCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- September 2014
Report published without a new overall rating.
- January 2014
Report published without a new overall rating.
- December 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- February 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- January 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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40 live-in carers within about an hour of Bristol, City of
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 £1,020 to £1,300 a week. 34 can care for a couple. 11 years' experience on average.
“She became a good friend to my mother in law, chatting with her, dancing with her, knitting with her and the list goes on”
“She was very caring, kind and patient to all his needs, she built up a wondetful rapport with him, she was dedicated and was there for him through good times as well as through the tough times”
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.