CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at Beechwood House
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
What inspectors found, November 2022
Beechwood House rated Requires Improvement; inspectors found kind, personalised care but problems with consent and quality checks.
This was the first inspection since the home registered. One inspector visited on 26 and 29 September 2022, spoke with three residents and five staff, reviewed care and medicines records, and sought views from health and social care professionals.
The home was rated Good for safe, caring and responsive care. Inspectors found enough staff, safe medicines practices, kind and respectful support, personalised care plans, and good opportunities for activities, relationships and community life.
The home was rated Requires Improvement for effective care and well-led management. Restrictions had been used without recorded best-interest assessments, and quality checks had not found gaps in financial monitoring or compliance with the Mental Capacity Act.
The provider acted during or after the inspection by introducing extra checks, protocols and documentation. However, the overall rating remained Requires Improvement because the consent failure was a breach of Regulation 11.
Kind and respectful support
People appeared happy with staff, who knew their needs, likes and dislikes. Staff supported people patiently and respectfully.
“People received kind and compassionate care. Staff promoted equality and diversity.” from the report
Safe staffing and medicines
There were enough staff, including one-to-one support for activities and visits. Medicines were recorded, audited and given safely.
“Medicines were managed safely. The home followed best practice for the receipt, storage, administration and disposal of medicines.” from the report
Personalised care
Care plans described people's strengths, needs and preferred support. People were involved in decisions about their care.
“Care plans were detailed, and person centred.” from the report
Activities and relationships
People took part in individual and group activities and were supported to maintain important relationships and develop friendships.
“People were supported to take part in a range of activities.” from the report
Consent and restrictions
seriousThe home applied restrictions without recording best-interest assessments or discussions about whether the restrictions were the least restrictive options. This was a breach of Regulation 11.
“Best interests assessments had not taken place prior to restrictions being placed on people.” from the report
Quality checks missed important gaps
needs fixingThe provider's monitoring systems did not identify problems with financial support records or Mental Capacity Act practice. CQC recommended reviewing these systems.
“These did not identify the gaps in the monitoring of people's financial support and ensuring the MCA code of practice was followed.” from the report
Financial records
needs fixingPeople's financial records were not always maintained properly. The manager addressed this by adding checks and new documentation.
“People's financial records were not always well maintained.” from the report
- 01How do you now complete and record mental capacity and best-interest assessments before applying any restriction?
- 02How do you check that restrictions remain the least restrictive option for each person?
- 03What new checks are in place for residents' financial support and records?
- 04How does the manager now test that the quality monitoring system finds problems promptly?
- 05How will you show families that the Regulation 11 breach has been fully addressed?
This was the first comprehensive inspection of the newly registered home, covering all five CQC questions and infection prevention and control measures. This explanation was written from the published report of 10 November 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.
Every inspection of Beechwood House
Each visit the CQC has published, newest first, back to the day the home was registered.
- November 2022Requires improvementcurrent ratingSafe: GoodEffective: Requires improvementCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Requires improvement
- 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.
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45 live-in carers within about an hour of Stockton-on-Tees
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 £1,190 a week. 40 can care for a couple. 10 years' experience on average.
“I found Alison to be kind , caring helpful concencious... Alison has a heart of gold”
“Petty introduced herself to Mum every time she was caring for her and responded very quickly to Mum if she was distressed in 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.