CQC report explained · a nursing home
What the CQC found at Betsy Clara Nursing Home
Rated Requires improvement: inspectors found the home was not performing as well as it should and told it what to change.
What inspectors found, March 2023
Betsy Clara Nursing Home was rated Good; inspectors found people were safe, cared for kindly and supported by clear management.
This was an unannounced focused inspection on 27 February 2023 and 2 March 2023. Inspectors looked at Safe and Well-led because concerns had been raised about safe care, treatment and care standards. They found no evidence that people were at risk of harm from those concerns.
People and relatives said people were safe and happy. Inspectors found clear care plans, safe medicines management, good infection control, suitable staffing and systems for learning from accidents. Staff knew how to report abuse and manage risks such as falls, choking and skin damage.
The home was rated Good overall, with Safe rated Good and Well-led rated Good. The other three areas were not inspected during this visit, so their previous ratings were used to calculate the overall rating. The last inspection was published on 29 May 2018 and the rating was also Good.
People felt safe
People and relatives said they felt safe and happy. Inspectors found staff understood safeguarding and knew how to report concerns.
“People told us they felt safe living in Betsy Clara Nursing Home and relatives confirmed this.” from the report
Clear risk management
Care plans and risk assessments were up to date and gave staff enough information to manage risks such as falls, choking and skin damage.
“Care plans and risk assessments were clear and up to date.” from the report
Safe medicines and infection control
Medicines were stored, given and recorded safely. Inspectors were also assured about the home's infection prevention arrangements.
“Medicines were managed safely in line with national guidance. Medicines were stored securely in people's rooms, unless they required refrigeration.” from the report
Good oversight
The management team used audits, meetings and action plans to monitor care and respond to issues. Staff and relatives described managers as supportive and approachable.
“The provider had quality monitoring processes in place.” from the report
Learning from incidents
Accidents and incidents were recorded, investigated and reviewed for lessons. The home made changes to reduce the chance of problems happening again.
“Investigation records were thorough and included actions plans and lessons learned.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01How are the Effective, Caring and Responsive areas of care currently monitored, since they were not inspected during this visit?
- 02How will you keep us informed if there is an accident, incident or change in our relative's care?
- 03How do you check that medicines continue to be given safely and that staff remain competent?
- 04What improvements are currently on the central action plan, and how do you check that they are completed?
- 05How will relatives receive regular updates, including the planned monthly newsletter?
This was a focused inspection of Safe and Well-led only; the other ratings were carried over from the previous inspection and used to calculate the overall rating. This explanation was written from the published report of 31 March 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.
What inspectors found, June 2018
Rated Good; inspectors found safe, kind and personalised care, with only minor record issues corrected during the inspection.
This was an unannounced inspection of the whole home. Inspectors spoke with people living there, relatives and staff. They observed care, reviewed five people's care records and checked staffing, training, medicines and quality checks.
The home was rated Good overall and Good in all five areas: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. Inspectors found enough staff, safe medicines practice, suitable training and good links with health professionals.
People were treated with kindness and respect. Care plans reflected people's preferences, activities were tailored to their interests and families were encouraged to stay involved. Complaints were listened to and end-of-life care was planned around people's wishes.
Inspectors found a small number of record or practice issues during checks. These were dealt with promptly, including updating one emergency evacuation record and removing moving equipment that had been left in place.
Enough staff
Staffing was reviewed against people's changing needs. Inspectors saw people receiving support in a timely way.
“There were sufficient numbers of staff to keep people safe and meet their needs.” from the report
Skilled staff
New staff had a detailed induction and staff received ongoing training. Inspectors found care staff knew how to support people living in the home.
“Staff had the training and skills they needed to meet people's needs.” from the report
Kind and respectful care
Staff knew people well and supported their privacy, dignity and choices. Families also described the home as welcoming.
“People were treated with kindness, respect and compassion.” from the report
Personalised support
Care plans included people's preferences and independence. Activities were adapted to people's interests, including one-to-one activities.
“People received personalised care that was responsive to their needs.” from the report
Open management
The manager used audits, meetings and feedback to monitor the service and address problems. Families, staff and professionals were encouraged to be involved.
“Systems and processes were effective in ensuring that shortfalls in service delivery were identified and rectified.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01How do you check that each person's emergency evacuation plan reflects their current physical condition?
- 02What checks make sure moving and handling equipment is removed when it is no longer needed?
- 03How do you adjust staffing when a person's needs increase or decrease?
- 04How are relatives involved in the three-monthly reviews of care plans?
- 05How are activities planned for people who prefer to spend time in their rooms?
This was an unannounced inspection of the whole home, covering all five CQC questions and the overall rating. This explanation was written from the published report of 1 June 2018 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 Betsy Clara Nursing Home
5 rated inspections over 8 years: the service has improved, from Requires improvement to Good.
- March 2023Goodcurrent ratingstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- June 2018Goodstayed GoodSafe: GoodWell-led: Good
- July 2017Goodstayed GoodSafe: Good
- October 2016Goodup from Requires improvementSafe: Requires improvementEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- August 2015Requires improvementSafe: Requires improvementEffective: Requires improvementCaring: GoodResponsive: Requires improvementWell-led: Requires improvement
- July 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- June 2012
Report published without a new overall rating.
- February 2011
Report published without a new overall rating.
- February 2011
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 4 February 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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39 live-in carers within about an hour of Kent
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 £1,260 a week. 33 can care for a couple. 12 years' experience on average.
“Always on time and with a lovely smile for my mum. Theresa is kind and sensitive to my mum's needs.”
“Irene was a very kind and empathetic carer who knew just the right words to say to put a smile on my face.”
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.