CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at Caring Hands (Wiltshire)
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
What inspectors found, March 2018
Caring Hands (Wiltshire) was rated Good; inspectors found kind, personalised care, with some records and decision-making needing improvement.
This was an unannounced comprehensive inspection on 15 February 2018. One inspector spoke with people, staff and the provider, observed care, and checked care and management records.
The home remained Good in all five areas: safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led. People said they felt safe and spoke highly of staff. Inspectors saw kind, respectful interactions, personalised care plans and a range of activities.
Inspectors found some weaknesses. Instructions for some medicines given only when needed were not detailed enough. Fluid monitoring did not always show daily totals or targets. Best-interest decisions were sometimes made when people could consent, and quality checks were not always written down.
The previous inspection also rated the home Good. This inspection found that the rating remained Good, with no evidence of serious risks or concerns.
Kind and respectful staff
Inspectors saw staff speaking with people meaningfully, respecting privacy and responding discreetly when someone was confused. People described staff as helpful, kind and respectful.
“People were treated with kindness and respect. Throughout the inspection we observed staff engaging in meaningful conversation with people.” from the report
Personalised support
Care plans recorded people's choices, life stories and specific support needs. Staff knew people well and supported independence.
“Care plans were person centred and contained details about people's choices and preferences in relation to how they wanted to be supported.” from the report
Activities and community links
People could join activities, attend a weekly luncheon club and maintain links with the local community. Inspectors saw people going to the luncheon club during the visit.
“People had access to a range of activities and were actively encouraged to maintain links with the local community.” from the report
Detailed end-of-life planning
Plans recorded people's wishes about where they wanted to die, hospital admission and personal details. The home worked with the local hospice.
“These were particularly detailed and described people's wishes for where they wanted to die and whether they wanted to be admitted to hospital in an emergency.” from the report
Instructions for as-needed medicines
needs fixingSome instructions for medicines used when needed did not explain the signs to look for or what staff should do before giving the medicine. The provider said this would be addressed immediately.
“There was no information to guide staff on when and why people might need these.” from the report
Fluid records
needs fixingFor one person, fluid charts did not show a recommended daily target or the total amount drunk. Low intake was not always explained in daily records.
“We recommend that the provider reviews the fluid charts to include targets and the total daily amount of fluid consumed.” from the report
Mental capacity decisions
needs fixingBest-interest decisions were recorded for some people who had capacity to consent. The provider had arranged refresher training for staff and themselves.
“However, when people had capacity to consent, best interest decisions had been made unnecessarily.” from the report
Written quality checks
minorThe home monitored quality, but did not keep written audits of medicines management or care planning. This made it harder to see a clear record of checks and improvements.
“No written audits were carried out to monitor the effectiveness of medicines management or care planning.” from the report
- 01What written instructions are now available for each medicine given only when needed, including when to give it and what staff should try first?
- 02How do you set and record daily fluid targets, total intake and follow-up when someone drinks very little?
- 03How do you make sure best-interest decisions are only made when a person cannot make the relevant decision themselves?
- 04What written audits do you now complete for medicines management and care planning?
- 05How will you support my relative to take part in activities and maintain links with the local community?
This was an unannounced comprehensive inspection covering all five areas of quality, based on observations, conversations and records for five people. This explanation was written from the published report of 20 March 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 Caring Hands (Wiltshire)
2 rated inspections over 2 years: the service has held its Good rating throughout.
- March 2018Goodcurrent ratingstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- March 2016GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- January 2014
Report published without a new overall rating.
- March 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- September 2011
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 5 September 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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What to check when you visit
At least 100 live-in carers within about two hours of Wiltshire
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 £1,340 a week. 82 can care for a couple. 12 years' experience on average.
“Linet became her carer and all changed, my daughter started eating, taking her medications and more important her happiness came back.”
“I cannot recommend Prisca highly enough, she is one in a million.”
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.