CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at Callum House
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
What inspectors found, December 2018
Callum House was rated Good; inspectors found kind, person-centred care, but some maintenance and medicine-storage issues needed attention.
This was an unannounced comprehensive inspection over 31 October and 1 November 2018. One inspector spoke with people, staff, the manager and relatives. They observed care, reviewed care records and checked medicines, staffing, recruitment, premises and management records.
The home supported six people with learning disabilities and could accommodate up to eight. Inspectors found people were safe, treated kindly and supported to make choices. Care plans were detailed, activities were available, and people were supported with food, health appointments and communication.
There were some shortfalls. A broken window had not been repaired promptly and created a risk of falling. Medicine storage was cluttered and temperature checks had not always been recorded. These issues were addressed during or shortly after the inspection, and the CQC recommended reviewing medicine-storage guidance.
All five areas were rated Good. This means the inspectors found the service met the expected standard overall, although it still needed to keep monitoring the issues identified.
Kind and respectful care
Inspectors saw staff treating people kindly and respectfully. Staff understood people's likes, dislikes, history and ways of communicating.
“We observed staff were kind and caring towards people who used the service. People appeared happy and relaxed.” from the report
Individual support
Care plans gave staff clear information about people's routines, interests, preferences and support needs. Staff promoted independence while managing risks.
“Risk management plans were in place to help keep people safe but also to promote their independence both at the service and in the community.” from the report
Activities and community life
People were supported to take part in activities suited to their interests, including swimming, day services, trips out and household tasks.
“Where possible the service supported people to access local events and activities in the community according to their individual needs and interests.” from the report
Good involvement and communication
People and relatives were involved in care decisions and could give feedback through meetings and surveys. Information was also made accessible through easy-read and pictorial formats.
“People were able to give feedback about their experiences through regular resident's meetings and yearly surveys.” from the report
Delayed maintenance
seriousSome reported maintenance problems had not been dealt with promptly. A broken window did not close properly and had no restrictor, creating a risk of someone falling, although it was repaired during the inspection.
“We noticed issues regarding a broken window and cracked glass had been reported to the provider but when we looked, these issues were still outstanding.” from the report
Medicine storage
seriousThe medicine cabinet was overcrowded, making it unclear which medicines belonged to which person. Temperature checks were also not always recorded, but storage was reorganised and a checking system was introduced during or shortly after the inspection.
“This meant staff would have to look in several places in the cabinet for people's medicine and there could be a risk people may not receive the medicine they should.” from the report
- 01How quickly are maintenance problems now recorded, escalated and repaired, especially problems that could affect safety?
- 02How are each person's medicines separated and clearly labelled in the medicine cabinet?
- 03How often are medicine-storage temperatures checked, and what happens if a temperature is outside the safe range?
- 04Have the extra staff vacancies been filled, and how many staff are normally on duty during the day and at night?
- 05How are people's preferred activities and community outings planned and protected when staffing levels change?
This was an unannounced comprehensive inspection covering all five CQC questions, and all five ratings remained Good from the previous inspection. This explanation was written from the published report of 12 December 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 Callum House
3 rated inspections over 2 years: the service has held its Good rating throughout.
- December 2018Goodcurrent ratingstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- July 2016Goodstayed GoodSafe: Good
- June 2016GoodSafe: Requires improvementEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- October 2014
Report published without a new overall rating.
- June 2014
Report published without a new overall rating.
- May 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- May 2012
Report published without a new overall rating.
- January 2011
Report published without a new overall rating.
- May 2011
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 13 May 2011.
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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