CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at Blamster's Link
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
- Safe?
- Good
- People were protected from abuse and avoidable harm. Inspectors found enough trained staff, safe medicines systems, effective risk management and good infection control.
- Effective?
- Good
- Care was based on people's physical, sensory, communication and mental health needs. People were supported with food, healthcare, staff training and decisions about their care.
- Caring?
- Good
- Staff were kind, patient and respectful. People were supported to communicate, make choices, maintain relationships and develop independence.
- Responsive?
- Good
- Care plans reflected people's needs, goals and preferences. People had access to activities, hobbies and community outings, and complaints were investigated.
- Well-led?
- Good
- Inspectors found an open and supportive culture, with effective audits and governance systems. Staff felt supported by the manager and worked together to learn and improve.
What inspectors found, November 2022
Blamster's Link was rated Good; inspectors found kind, personalised care, with no breaches or enforcement action reported.
Inspectors visited the home without warning on 13 and 14 September 2022. They spoke with three people, two relatives, six staff members and other professionals. They reviewed care plans, staff recruitment and supervision records, and management records.
The home supported five people with learning disabilities or autistic people. Inspectors found people were safe, treated with kindness and supported to make choices. Staff understood people's communication, health and behaviour needs. People were supported with medicines, food, activities, relationships and access to healthcare.
The home had enough staff and a well-maintained, clean environment. Care plans were personalised and regularly reviewed. Inspectors also found good systems for complaints, safeguarding, learning from incidents and checking the quality of care.
The overall rating was Good. Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led were all rated Good. This was the first inspection since the service was registered under the current provider, although the service had previously been rated Good in 2018 under a different registration.
Choice and independence
People were supported to make choices and take reasonable risks rather than having activities unnecessarily restricted. They were involved in daily tasks, meals and planning activities.
“People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests” from the report
Personalised care
Care plans covered people's individual needs, goals and aspirations. Staff used communication tools and personal information to tailor support.
“People's care plans were personalised, covering all aspects of their needs and aspirations, including their physical and mental health needs.” from the report
Good management systems
The home used audits, meetings and investigation findings to check care and make improvements. Staff said they could raise concerns openly.
“The service had effective governance arrangements in place to assess the quality and safety of the service.” from the report
Manager registration pending
needs fixingThere was no registered manager in post at the time of the inspection. A new manager had applied for registration and the application was still being assessed.
“At the time of our inspection the service did not have a registered manager in post.” from the report
Someone climbed over the garden fence
needs fixingThe home had received one complaint about a person climbing over the garden fence. The manager raised a safeguarding concern, investigated it and introduced measures to reduce the chance of it happening again.
“The service had received 1 complaint in the last 12 months, where a person using the service had climbed over the garden fence.” from the report
- 01Has the manager's application to become registered been approved, and who is legally responsible for the home while it is being assessed?
- 02What changes were made after someone climbed over the garden fence, and how are these checks kept up to date?
- 03How will you make sure new or agency staff understand each person's communication style, routines and behaviour support plan?
- 04How are people and their families involved in reviewing care plans, health needs and future goals?
- 05How do you monitor the use of as-needed medicines and make sure they are only used as a last resort?
This was an unannounced inspection covering all five key questions, including infection prevention and control, the premises and care provided. This explanation was written from the published report of 5 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 Blamster's Link
3 rated inspections over 7 years: the service has held its Good rating throughout.
- November 2022Goodcurrent ratingstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- October 2018Goodstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Requires improvement
- October 2015GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Requires improvement
- July 2020
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 23 July 2020.
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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35 live-in carers within about an hour of Essex
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 £1,020 to £1,260 a week. 25 can care for a couple. 10 years' experience on average.
“Not only was she professional, polite and efficient but she bought a lovely smile and laughter to my parents home.”
“She brought fun and stimulation into mums life.”
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.