CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at Blackhurst Care Home
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
- Safe?
- Good
- People were protected from abuse and avoidable harm. Inspectors found appropriate risk plans, enough staff, safe medicines systems and suitable infection control arrangements.
- Effective?
- Good
- This question was not inspected during this focused visit. Its previous rating was used in calculating the overall rating.
- Caring?
- Good
- This question was not inspected during this focused visit. Its previous rating was used in calculating the overall rating.
- Responsive?
- Good
- This question was not inspected during this focused visit. Its previous rating was used in calculating the overall rating.
- Well-led?
- Good
- Management was open and accessible, people and families were asked for feedback, and audits and improvement plans were being used effectively.
What inspectors found, June 2023
Blackhurst Care Home is rated Good; inspectors found safe, kind care and effective management, but this was a focused inspection.
Inspectors visited on 22 May 2023 after concerns were received about people's welfare. One inspector spoke with four people, two family members, three staff and two healthcare professionals. They also checked care plans, medicines records, staff files, incidents, training and management records.
This was a focused inspection of Safe and Well-led. Inspectors found people were protected from abuse and avoidable harm. Risks were assessed, staffing was sufficient, medicines were managed safely and infection control arrangements were in place.
Inspectors also found open management, regular checks and a culture of improvement. People were treated kindly, supported to make choices and helped to take part in activities. There was no evidence that people were at risk from the concern that led to the inspection.
The overall rating remains Good. Safe and Well-led were rated Good at this inspection. The ratings for Effective, Caring and Responsive were not checked during this visit and carried over from the previous inspection, which was rated Good and published on 25 October 2018.
Risk management
Risks were regularly reviewed and staff understood how to keep people safe. Emergency plans and safety checks were also in place.
“Risks to people were regularly assessed and there were plans in place to help mitigate risks.” from the report
Staffing
Inspectors found enough staff to meet people's needs and provide one-to-one time. Recruitment checks and staff training supported safe care.
“There were enough staff to meet people's needs and people were receiving their one to one time effectively.” from the report
Kind, respectful care
People received compassionate care from staff who knew them and used language they understood.
“People received kind and compassionate care from staff who used positive, respectful language which people understood and responded well to.” from the report
Activities and choice
People were supported to choose what they did and take part in regular social and leisure activities.
“People were supported to participate in their chosen social and leisure interests on a regular basis.” from the report
Management and improvement
The provider used feedback, audits and action plans to identify and make improvements. Inspectors saw environmental improvements during the visit.
“Regular governance checks and audits were conducted by staff at the home and the provider, and these were effective at identifying where improvements could be made.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01How will you assess and update the risk plans for my relative, and how will staff follow them?
- 02How much one-to-one time will my relative receive, and how do you check that it is being provided?
- 03What activities and community opportunities would match my relative's interests and goals?
- 04How do you use family feedback, audits and incidents to make improvements?
- 05What has changed since the previous comprehensive inspection in 2018 in the areas not assessed during this visit?
This was a focused inspection of Safe and Well-led after welfare concerns; Effective, Caring and Responsive were not inspected and their previous ratings carried over from 2018. This explanation was written from the published report of 21 June 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, January 2021
Inspected but not rated; inspectors found good infection control practice during a coronavirus-focused visit.
This was an announced, targeted inspection on 18 December 2020. It looked only at infection prevention and control because of coronavirus outbreaks in care homes.
Inspectors were assured that the home used PPE safely, followed distancing and shielding rules, managed visitors and admissions safely, and supported testing. They also found that the infection control policy was up to date.
People were supported to self-isolate when needed. Their individual health needs were considered, and one person had a personalised isolation plan agreed with the local health team.
The home was inspected but not rated. This means the visit does not provide an overall quality rating or full ratings for all five areas of care.
Infection control training
Staff had training in infection prevention and control and used protective equipment in line with guidance.
“People were supported by staff who were fully trained in infection prevention and control and who wore Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) in line with current guidance.” from the report
Personalised isolation
The home considered people's individual health needs when isolation was required. A personalised plan was agreed for one person with a specific health need.
“One person had a specific health need so the provider liaised with the local health team to agree a personalised isolation plan” from the report
Hospital information
Hospital passports had been reviewed, including health needs and people's wishes about DNAR orders.
“People's hospital passports had been reviewed to ensure their health needs were up to date and relevant to the pandemic.” from the report
Infection control systems
Inspectors were assured that the home had arrangements covering PPE, testing, visitors, admissions, cleaning and managing outbreaks.
“We were assured that the provider was making sure infection outbreaks can be effectively prevented or managed.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01What infection prevention and control arrangements are in place now, and how have they changed since the inspection?
- 02How would you support my relative if they needed to self-isolate, including any individual health needs?
- 03How do you keep hospital passports and DNAR wishes up to date?
- 04What were the home's ratings for caring, effective, responsive and well-led care at its last full inspection?
- 05How do you support residents to take part in cleaning while making sure the work is completed safely?
This was an announced, targeted inspection of infection prevention and control only; the home was inspected but not rated and the other care areas were not assessed. This explanation was written from the published report of 23 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.
Every inspection of Blackhurst Care Home
3 rated inspections over 7 years: the service has held its Good rating throughout.
- June 2023Goodcurrent ratingSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- January 2021Inspected but not ratedSafe: Inspected but not rated
- October 2018Goodstayed GoodSafe: GoodWell-led: Good
- June 2016GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- June 2014
Report published without a new overall rating.
- August 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- December 2012
Report published without a new overall rating.
- January 2012
Report published without a new overall rating.
- November 2010
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 17 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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