CQC report explained · a nursing home
What the CQC found at Blair House Care Home
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
- Safe?
- Good
- Inspectors were assured about infection control, including testing, PPE, cleaning, visiting and outbreak management. They identified the need to check visitors' temperatures and improve staff handwashing practice.
- Effective?
- Good
- This was not assessed in this targeted inspection.
- Caring?
- Good
- This was not assessed in this targeted inspection.
- Responsive?
- Outstanding
- This was not assessed in this targeted inspection.
- Well-led?
- Good
- This was not assessed as a separate question in this targeted inspection.
What inspectors found, January 2022
Inspected but not rated; inspectors were assured that infection control was generally good, with visitor temperature checks and handwashing practice needing attention.
This was an announced, targeted inspection on 19 January 2022. It looked at infection prevention and control during the COVID-19 pandemic, and asked about staffing pressures.
Inspectors found that the home had arrangements for testing, personal protective equipment, cleaning, visiting, social distancing and managing outbreaks. They were assured that the service met good infection prevention and control guidelines.
There were two points to improve. Visitor temperatures were not being checked on entry, and staff needed an update on the correct handwashing technique. The home had stopped new admissions while it waited for advice about reopening.
Infection control
Inspectors found that the home had suitable arrangements to prevent and manage infection. Staff knew how to use protective measures when someone developed symptoms or tested positive.
“We were assured that this service met good infection prevention and control guidelines as a designated care setting” from the report
Cleaning
The home had monitored cleaning schedules, including cleaning of frequently touched areas. Records showed that the schedules were being followed.
“Records show compliance with the cleaning schedule.” from the report
Protective equipment and testing
There was enough PPE for staff and visitors, and staff were observed using it correctly. Regular testing was in place for staff and for people who often went into the community.
“There was enough PPE available for staff and visitors.” from the report
Managing admissions and outbreaks
The home had stopped new admissions after previous positive cases and was waiting for confirmation before reopening to admissions. The manager sought external infection control advice.
“The registered manager sought advice appropriately and followed external infection control advice when received.” from the report
Visitor temperature checks
needs fixingVisitors were checked for COVID passes and recent negative tests, but their temperatures were not also being checked when they entered.
“However, the service needs to make sure that they also check temperatures of visitors on entry into the building.” from the report
Handwashing technique
needs fixingInspectors found that staff understanding of correct hand cleaning was not in line with best practice. The manager arranged further training and assessment.
“In discussion with staff their understanding of good hand cleaning technique was not in keeping with best practice.” from the report
- 01Are visitor temperatures now checked and recorded when people enter?
- 02What update and assessment have staff completed on correct handwashing technique?
- 03Has the home reopened to new admissions, and what advice was received before doing so?
- 04How often are staff and residents tested now, especially people who access the community?
- 05How are cleaning schedules and infection control arrangements monitored?
This was a targeted inspection of infection prevention and control, with questions about staffing pressures; it did not assess the other quality areas or give an overall rating. This explanation was written from the published report of 25 January 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, February 2020
Blair House Care Home was rated Good overall, with Outstanding personalised support and improvements since its previous inspection.
This was an unannounced inspection on 28 January 2020. Inspectors spoke with people living at the home, a relative and staff. They reviewed care records, medicines records, staff recruitment and training records, and quality checks.
The home was rated Good for Safe, Effective, Caring and Well-led. It was rated Outstanding for Responsive. Inspectors found that people were safe, treated with kindness and supported by staff who understood their needs.
The strongest area was personalised support. Staff helped people build confidence, follow their interests, develop daily living skills and work towards their own goals. The home was no longer in breach of Regulation 12, which had been a problem at the previous inspection.
The previous inspection, published on 2 February 2019, rated the service Requires Improvement. This inspection found that the home had improved to an overall Good rating.
Personalised goals
Staff helped people work towards goals that mattered to them, including greater independence, reconnecting with family and developing everyday skills.
“People were encouraged to set their own goals and aspirations, and with staff support, empowered to achieve them.” from the report
Communication
The home adapted information and activities to people's different levels of understanding and communication preferences.
“Information was sourced and available at Blair House which took account of people's varying levels of understanding.” from the report
Kind and respectful care
People were treated with dignity and involved in decisions about their care. Staff supported privacy, independence and family relationships.
“Staff treated people with respect, kindness, equality and dignity.” from the report
Safety improvements
The home had improved its risk assessments since the last inspection. Inspectors found risks were proactively assessed and managed.
“During this inspection improvement had been made and the registered provider was no longer in breach of regulation.” from the report
Activities and community links
People were supported to take part in meaningful, culturally relevant activities and to engage with the wider community.
“Staff engaged and supported people with enriching and culturally relevant activities.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01How would you assess and review my relative's specific mental health risks and support needs?
- 02What personal goals would you help my relative work towards, and how would you measure progress?
- 03How would you support my relative's preferred way of communicating and understanding information?
- 04How are medicines checked and recorded, including creams and controlled medicines?
- 05What evidence can you provide that the improvements to risk assessments have been maintained since this inspection?
This inspection covered all five CQC key questions and included discussions with people, a relative and staff, as well as checks of care, medicines, recruitment, training and management records. This explanation was written from the published report of 22 February 2020 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 Blair House Care Home
4 rated inspections over 4 years: the service has improved, from Requires improvement to Good.
- January 2022Inspected but not ratedcurrent ratingSafe: Inspected but not rated
- February 2020Goodup from Requires improvementSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: OutstandingWell-led: Good
- February 2019Requires improvementdown from GoodSafe: Requires improvementEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Requires improvement
- January 2017Goodup from Requires improvementSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- December 2015Requires improvementSafe: GoodEffective: Requires improvementCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Requires improvement
- May 2014
Report published without a new overall rating.
- May 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- December 2012
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 4 December 2012.
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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38 live-in carers within about an hour of Sefton
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 £1,270 a week. 34 can care for a couple. 11 years' experience on average.
“He developed a close affinity with Terence, spending time talking with him before he retired to bed and looking after his needs during the night.”
“It was clear that she genuinely cared and her warm approach really helped put our minds at ease.”
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.