CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at Bilton Court
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
- Safe?
- Good
- Inspectors were assured that the home managed infection risks, visiting, protective equipment, testing and staffing pressures appropriately.
- Effective?
- Good
- This area was not assessed in this targeted inspection.
- Caring?
- Good
- This area was not assessed in this targeted inspection.
- Responsive?
- Good
- This area was not assessed in this targeted inspection.
- Well-led?
- Good
- This area was not assessed in this targeted inspection.
What inspectors found, February 2022
Inspected but not rated; inspectors found strong infection control and visiting arrangements, but did not give the home an overall rating.
This was an announced, targeted inspection on 28 January 2022. Inspectors looked mainly at infection prevention and control, visiting arrangements, and staffing pressures linked to COVID-19.
They found safe arrangements for visitors, including booking, rapid testing, vaccination checks, hand washing and signing in. The home used isolation, zoning, enhanced cleaning, protective equipment and regular COVID-19 testing.
Inspectors were assured that infection risks were being managed. Staff worked together to cover vacant shifts, with agency staff used when essential. The home was inspected but not rated, so this report does not give an overall quality rating.
Infection control
The home had several measures to reduce infection spread, including zoning, isolation, enhanced cleaning and regular testing.
“Isolation, co-horting and zoning were used to manage the risk of infection spread.” from the report
Visitors
Visits were arranged using checks and safety measures. Essential carers could continue visiting during a COVID-19 outbreak when routine visits stopped.
“Visits to people living in the service were facilitated and arranged in line with national guidance.” from the report
Protective equipment
Inspectors found enough protective equipment and saw that it was stored and disposed of safely.
“There was plenty of personal protective equipment (PPE) including masks, gloves, aprons and hand sanitiser available.” from the report
Staffing cover
Staff worked together to cover vacant shifts so that safe staffing levels were maintained. Agency staff were used when essential, with safety processes in place.
“The staff team worked together to cover any vacant shifts to ensure safe staffing levels were always maintained.” from the report
Management oversight
The registered manager carried out regular checks and kept infection prevention and control policies up to date.
“The registered manager had good oversight of infection prevention and control processes.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01How are you currently managing vacant shifts and any COVID-19-related staffing pressures?
- 02What arrangements are now in place for relatives and essential carers to visit during an infection outbreak?
- 03How often are residents and staff tested for COVID-19, and what happens after a positive result?
- 04How do you check that staff and visiting professionals meet the vaccination or exemption requirements?
- 05How often are infection prevention and control checks carried out, and what happens when a problem is found?
This was a targeted inspection of infection prevention and control, visiting arrangements and COVID-19-related staffing pressures; it did not assess the other four CQC questions and did not give an overall rating. This explanation was written from the published report of 11 February 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, November 2019
Bilton Court was rated Good; inspectors found safe, kind and personalised care, with strong activities and management oversight.
This was an unannounced inspection on 2 October 2019. Two inspectors observed care, spoke with people, relatives, staff and a health professional, and checked care, medicines, staff and management records.
The home was caring and welcoming. Inspectors found that staff understood people's needs, supported independence, involved people in care planning and offered varied activities. Food was prepared from fresh ingredients, with choices and preferences taken into account.
The home was rated Good in all five areas: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. This was the same overall rating and the same rating in each area as at the previous inspection, published in June 2017.
Staffing and safety
Inspectors found enough staff to provide planned care, alongside safe recruitment and regular checks on risks and medicines.
“There were enough staff deployed to provide people with their care at regular planned times.” from the report
Food and choice
People were offered fresh food, snacks and drinks, with their choices and dietary needs considered.
“Staff provided people with a variety of fresh, quality food options each day.” from the report
Personalised care
People and relatives were involved in care planning. Staff supported independence, respected preferences and helped couples remain together.
“People were involved in the planning of their care; their care plans clearly showed how people preferred to receive their care.” from the report
Activities and community links
The home offered activities linked to people's interests and life histories. It also built links with local groups and services.
“People at the home, with staff support, had formed its own dementia choir.” from the report
Management oversight
The management team used audits and a live action plan to check care quality and address issues.
“The management team carried out regular audits and checks to ensure people continued to receive high quality care.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01What is the current registration status of the manager, and who is legally responsible for the home now?
- 02How are staffing levels reviewed when people's needs change, and what staffing levels are in place on each shift?
- 03How are medicines audits recorded, and how quickly are any issues corrected?
- 04How are my relative's personal, cultural and religious preferences recorded and kept up to date?
- 05Which activities and community links are currently available, and how are people involved in choosing them?
This was an unannounced inspection covering all five CQC questions, including both the premises and the care provided; inspectors spoke with three people, three relatives and six staff and reviewed a sample of records. This explanation was written from the published report of 20 November 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 Bilton Court
3 rated inspections over 4 years: the service has held its Good rating throughout.
- February 2022Inspected but not ratedcurrent ratingSafe: Inspected but not rated
- November 2019Goodstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- June 2017Goodstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- June 2015GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- June 2014
Report published without a new overall rating.
- December 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- December 2012
Report published without a new overall rating.
- September 2012
Report published without a new overall rating.
- June 2012
Report published without a new overall rating.
- March 2012
Report published without a new overall rating.
- January 2012
Report published without a new overall rating.
- September 2011
Report published without a new overall rating.
- November 2010
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 25 November 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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89 live-in carers within about an hour of North Northamptonshire
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. 76 can care for a couple. 12 years' experience on average.
“If you bump into her in the night on her way to the bathroom she will still inquire how you are and if everything is alright.”
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.