CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at Blue Cedars
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
- Safe?
- Good
- Inspectors were assured about visitors, social distancing, personal protective equipment, testing and managing outbreaks. They were only somewhat assured about the premises' layout and hygiene practices because some staff training was incomplete and infection control policies were not always up to date.
- Effective?
- Good
- Does the care work? Training, consent, food and drink, working with GPs and nurses.
- Caring?
- Good
- Are people treated with kindness and dignity?
- Responsive?
- Good
- Is care built around the person? Care plans, activities, complaints.
- Well-led?
- Good
- Is the home run well? The manager, the culture, how problems get found and fixed.
What inspectors found, February 2021
Inspected but not rated; inspectors found good COVID-19 safety measures but gaps in staff training and infection control records.
This was a targeted inspection of infection prevention and control during the COVID-19 pandemic. Inspectors visited the home on 22 January 2021 and completed a virtual follow-up review on 4 February 2021.
Inspectors were assured that most national guidance was being followed. They found suitable personal protective equipment, testing, screening for visitors, social distancing measures and regular checks on people's wellbeing.
The home had a visitors pod with screening and ventilation. However, some staff had not completed all required training on using personal protective equipment. Infection prevention and control policies and records were not always up to date.
The service was inspected but not rated. This report does not give an overall quality rating or a full rating for the five key questions.
Changes to protect people
The home changed communal areas and people's routines, and placed personal protective equipment stations throughout the home.
“The provider had made necessary changes to the service to protect people from the risk of the spread of COVID-19.” from the report
Safer visiting
A visitors pod allowed people to see loved ones while using screening and ventilation measures.
“The provider had installed a "visitors pod" to facilitate safe visits for people and their loved ones.” from the report
Personal protective equipment and checks
There was an ample supply of personal protective equipment, and inspectors observed staff using it in line with national guidance. People's wellbeing was checked daily, including temperature and oxygen levels.
“The provider ensured there was ample supply of appropriate personal protective equipment, and we observed staff using this in line with national guidance.” from the report
Testing and vaccination access
People and staff had access to regular testing, and staff could access the COVID-19 vaccination programme.
“People and staff were supported appropriately to have access to regular testing in line with national guidelines and staff were able to access the COVID-19 vaccination programme.” from the report
Incomplete staff training
needs fixingSome staff had not completed all the required training, including training on using personal protective equipment. The manager was addressing this.
“However, some staff had not completed all of the provider's required training including the use of PPE. The registered manager was addressing this.” from the report
Out-of-date infection control records
needs fixingInfection prevention and control policies and procedures did not always reflect the safety measures in place. Inspectors asked the provider to review infection control governance as a priority.
“We found the provider's infection prevention and control (IPC) policies and procedures were not always up to date.” from the report
- 01Have all staff now completed the required training on using personal protective equipment?
- 02What changes have been made to the infection prevention and control policies and procedures?
- 03How do you check that infection control records remain up to date?
- 04How are visits currently managed, including screening, ventilation and pre-booking?
- 05How are people's temperature, oxygen levels and other changes in wellbeing recorded and acted on?
This was a targeted inspection of infection prevention and control measures during the COVID-19 pandemic; the service was inspected but not rated and the other key questions were not assessed. This explanation was written from the published report of 20 February 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.
What inspectors found, February 2018
Blue Cedars was rated Good; inspectors found safe, kind and personalised care, with family surveys not completed for over a year.
This was an unannounced comprehensive inspection on 15 January 2018. Inspectors observed care, spoke with one person, relatives, staff and healthcare professionals, and checked care records, medicines, staffing, training, complaints and quality checks. Most people could not be interviewed because of their complex needs.
The home was rated Good in all five areas: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. The rating remained Good from the previous inspection. Inspectors found enough suitably trained staff, safe medicines practice, regular risk assessments and care that met people's health and communication needs.
Staff were seen to be kind and patient. People were supported to make choices, take part in activities and maintain community links. Relatives were involved in care planning and best-interest decisions. The home had quality checks, although surveys for families, staff and other stakeholders had not been completed for over a year.
Enough suitable staff
Inspectors found staffing levels and skills were suitable for people's needs. The home also had a consistent staff team and no vacancies at the time.
“People were supported by sufficient numbers of staff with the right skill mix to meet their needs in a relaxed and unhurried manner.” from the report
Kind and respectful care
Staff were attentive and caring. Inspectors found that people's privacy, dignity and personal relationships were respected.
“We saw that staff were attentive and had a kind and caring approach towards people.” from the report
Personalised support
Care plans reflected individual needs, preferences and communication methods. Staff knew people well and helped them make choices about daily life.
“People received care that was responsive to their needs and personalised to their wishes and preferences.” from the report
Good support for complex needs
Staff had training and information for complex needs, including specialist feeding and rescue medicines. Healthcare professionals were involved where needed.
“People were supported by staff who had access to a range of training to develop the skills and knowledge they needed to meet people's needs.” from the report
Active quality monitoring
The home used regular checks, including medicines and care audits, to monitor standards and identify improvements.
“There were effective quality assurance systems in place to monitor care and plan on-going improvements.” from the report
Family surveys were overdue
minorSurveys for families, staff and other stakeholders had not been completed for over a year. The manager said new surveys were ready to be sent.
“Surveys giving families, staff and other stakeholders the opportunity to give their views of the service had not been undertaken for over a year.” from the report
- 01Have the family, staff and stakeholder surveys mentioned in the report now been sent out, and what changes resulted from them?
- 02What was the outcome of the complaint that was still ongoing at the inspection?
- 03What is the current position on the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards applications for people living in the home?
- 04How would staff communicate with and recognise the needs of my relative if they could not speak?
- 05What training do staff have for my relative's specific needs, such as specialist feeding, epilepsy or rescue medicines?
This was an unannounced comprehensive inspection covering all five key questions; the previous rating was also Good. This explanation was written from the published report of 22 February 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 Blue Cedars
2 rated inspections over 2 years: the service has held its Good rating throughout.
- February 2021Inspected but not ratedcurrent ratingSafe: Inspected but not rated
- February 2018Goodstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- December 2015GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- December 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- March 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- January 2012
Report published without a new overall rating.
- December 2010
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 1 December 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.
Weigh the report against the rest
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26 live-in carers within about an hour of Hampshire
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. 23 can care for a couple. 14 years' experience on average.
“I cannot recommend Prisca highly enough, she is one in a million.”
“He stayed with her throughout the pandemic, refusing to visit his own family, who lived nearby, to reduce the risk of infection.”
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.