CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at Burrow Down Residential Home
Rated Inadequate: inspectors found the home performing badly and the CQC has taken enforcement action.
What inspectors found, August 2023
Rated Good; inspectors found safe, kind and personalised care with strong support for choice and independence.
Inspectors made an unannounced visit on 9 June 2023. They spoke with two people and six staff, reviewed care and recruitment records, and checked audits, training and management information. They also sought views from professionals and relatives, but no relatives replied.
The home supports up to 14 adults with learning disabilities. There were 13 people living there during the inspection. Inspectors found that people were protected from abuse, risks were assessed, medicines and infection control were managed safely, and staffing and recruitment processes were effective.
People were supported to choose their activities, keep in touch with family and friends, use local services and take part in community life. Staff understood people's communication needs and provided kind and compassionate care.
The overall rating was Good. Safe, Responsive and Well-led were also rated Good. Effective and Caring were not given separate ratings in this report. The previous rating was Good, published in April 2018.
People felt safe
Staff knew people well, understood safeguarding and could recognise when someone was worried or unhappy. Inspectors also observed relaxed and positive body language when people interacted with staff.
“People were kept safe from avoidable harm because staff knew them well and understood how to protect them from abuse.” from the report
Personalised communication
Staff understood how people communicated, including through non-verbal signs and communication aids. Information was provided in accessible formats when needed.
“People were provided with information in the way they preferred.” from the report
Positive leadership
Inspectors found a visible and approachable manager, effective monitoring systems and staff who felt valued. The culture focused on people's individuality and rights.
“This created a positive and improvement-driven culture.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01How would you support my relative's particular communication needs, including any communication aids or pictorial information?
- 02How would you make sure my relative could take part in activities and go out regularly if they wanted to?
- 03How would you review and support my relative's medicines, including whether they could safely self-medicate?
- 04How would the recent change of provider affect my relative's care, staff team and daily routines?
- 05How often would you review my relative's care plan and involve them and our family when their needs or wishes changed?
The report gives ratings for Safe, Responsive and Well-led; Effective and Caring were not separately rated, and infection prevention and control was considered as part of the Safe inspection. This explanation was written from the published report of 3 August 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, November 2017
Rated Good; inspectors found safe, kind and personalised care, with all five areas rated Good.
This was an unannounced comprehensive inspection on 26 September 2017. The inspector reviewed care plans, medicines records and quality checks, looked around the home, and spoke with people, relatives, staff, a healthcare professional and the provider.
The home supported up to 14 people with a learning disability, including short-break stays. Inspectors found enough staff, suitable risk assessments, safe medicines management and staff who were trained and knowledgeable about people's needs.
Inspectors saw kind and patient care. People were supported to make choices, stay independent, communicate their views and take part in activities and trips. Care was personalised and complaints were investigated and answered.
All five CQC areas were rated Good: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. The home had also been rated Good at the previous inspection in February 2015, so this report says the rating remained Good.
Safe staffing
Inspectors found enough staff to meet people's needs, support activities and provide cover when needed.
“There were sufficient numbers of staff to keep people safe and make sure their needs were met.” from the report
Kind relationships
Staff knew people well and were observed to be caring, patient and respectful.
“Without exception, all the staff we met with and observed were kind and caring in their interactions with people.” from the report
Personalised support
Care plans reflected people's routines, communication needs, preferences and goals. People were supported to work towards personal outcomes.
“The support provided by the service continued to be personalised and responsive to people's individual needs.” from the report
Choice and independence
People were supported to make choices, communicate their views, take positive risks and take part in activities in the home and community.
“People took part in a variety of activities inside and outside of the service, and were supported to go on holidays with staff support.” from the report
Quality monitoring
The manager and provider used audits, spot checks, meetings and surveys to monitor the service and identify improvements.
“There were effective quality assurance systems in place.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01How would you assess and manage my relative's individual risks, including risks linked to going out, behaviour or mobility?
- 02How would you support my relative to communicate choices and take part in decisions about their care?
- 03What training and experience would staff have to meet my relative's particular health and support needs?
- 04How would you support my relative to take part in activities, trips and daily tasks that matter to them?
- 05How can my relative or our family raise a complaint, and how would we be kept informed of the response?
This was an unannounced comprehensive inspection covering the overall service and all five CQC questions; the previous inspection in February 2015 had also rated the service Good. This explanation was written from the published report of 21 November 2017 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 Burrow Down Residential Home
3 rated inspections over 8 years: the service has held its Good rating throughout.
- August 2023Goodcurrent ratingstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
Read what inspectors found at Burrow Down Residential Home →
- November 2017Goodstayed GoodSafe: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
Read what inspectors found at Burrow Down Residential Home →
- June 2015GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- February 2014
Report published without a new overall rating.
- April 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- April 2012
Report published without a new overall rating.
- December 2010
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 29 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.
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21 live-in carers within about an hour of Torbay
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 £1,400 a week. 17 can care for a couple. 12 years' experience on average.
“She looked after my mum, who can be incredibly challenging, so well and so gently, and we always felt confident that my mum was getting the best care available.”
“She was not phased by anything, she was adaptable, kind & gave us complete confidence to go away & not worry about a thing!”
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.