CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at Carleton House
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
- Safe?
- Good
- Inspectors were assured that the home was preventing and controlling infection. They found suitable arrangements for visitors, shielding, social distancing, PPE, testing, cleaning and managing outbreaks.
- 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, December 2020
Inspected but not rated; inspectors found good infection-control practice and creative support during the pandemic.
The inspection took place on 9 November 2020. It was an announced thematic review focused on infection prevention and control during the coronavirus pandemic.
Inspectors found several positive measures. These included a COVID-19 Champion, extra support for safe community trips, a pop-up shop for people shielding, and ways for residents to keep in touch with relatives.
Inspectors were assured that the home was managing infection risks. This included visitor checks, social distancing, personal protective equipment, testing, cleaning and arrangements for preventing or managing outbreaks.
The home was inspected but not rated. This means the report does not give an overall rating or a full rating of the quality of care.
Support to use the community
A COVID-19 Champion gave people one-to-one support and helped them follow safety measures when going out. Venues were checked in advance to reduce anxiety and infection risks.
“The COVID-19 Champion's role was to support people to still access the community in a safe way.” from the report
Support for wellbeing
The home created a pop-up shop, book club and developing music club. These gave people choices and helped maintain independence and mental wellbeing during restrictions.
“These were all ideas and measures to promote people's mental well-being.” from the report
Infection-control arrangements
The home had an entrance infection-control station for visitor checks and risk assessments. Supplies came through the garage so they could be decontaminated.
“The service had set up an infection control (IPC) station in the entrance way so all visitors could be monitored and risk assessed.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01How are the infection-control arrangements described in this report being used now?
- 02How do you currently support residents to go into the community safely?
- 03Is there still extra support for residents who are anxious or at risk of self-harm?
- 04How can residents currently keep in touch with relatives and take part in activities?
- 05What is your current process for checking visitors, supplies and possible infection outbreaks?
This was an announced thematic review of infection prevention and control during the coronavirus pandemic; it was not a full inspection and the service was inspected but not rated. This explanation was written from the published report of 3 December 2020 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, September 2018
Rated Good in all five areas; inspectors found safe, kind and personalised care, with some support plans still being developed.
Inspectors made unannounced visits on 18 and 28 August 2018. They spoke with five people, three support workers, managers and a care coordinator. They observed care and checked care plans, staff records, medicines information, complaints, training and quality checks.
The home was rated Good overall and Good for Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. People told inspectors they felt safe and received kind, respectful support. Staff supported people with healthcare, medicines, daily living skills, community activities and maintaining contact with relatives and friends.
The home had enough staff, safe recruitment checks and systems for managing risks, safeguarding, medicines, infection control and the building. Inspectors found that people were involved in their care plans and choices. Some care plan information about mental capacity and rehabilitation goals was still being expanded.
Kind and respectful care
Inspectors saw many examples of kind care. People said staff were considerate, listened to them and understood changes in their mood.
“Throughout the inspection we saw numerous examples of kind and caring support being delivered.” from the report
Safe staffing and medicines
The home had enough staff and adjusted staffing to people's needs, lifestyles and appointments. Medicines were stored, ordered, disposed of and given safely.
“The provider ensured enough staff were in place to support people safely.” from the report
Good healthcare support
The home worked with healthcare professionals and supported people to attend appointments. Inspectors found that people's health and mental wellbeing were monitored.
“The service worked closely with external professionals to monitor and promote people's heath and people's medicines were managed safely.” from the report
Personalised support and independence
Care plans included people's choices, interests and support needs. People were encouraged to do things for themselves and take part in community life.
“People were supported to be as independent and live as full a life as possible.” from the report
Clean and maintained home
The home was clean, tidy and maintained. Inspectors found checks for health and safety, equipment, fire arrangements and infection control.
“The home had a five star rating from the Food Standards Agency, which is their highest rating.” from the report
Care plan detail being expanded
minorAt the time of the inspection, support plans were being reviewed to add fuller information about mental capacity and best-interest decisions. Ask to see how this work was completed.
“At the time of our inspection support plans were being reviewed to include more in-depth information on people's mental capacity and decisions made in their best interests.” from the report
Rehabilitation goals still developing
minorThe report says the home planned to develop short-term goals to support skills, confidence and independence. Families may want to ask what goals are now set for each person.
“The registered manager told us that rehabilitation and short-term goals, to motivate people in developing skills and achieving even greater levels of independence and confidence building were to be a developed within the service.” from the report
- 01How are mental capacity decisions and best-interest decisions now recorded in each person's support plan?
- 02What short-term rehabilitation goals would you set for my relative, and how would you measure progress?
- 03How do you adjust staffing when people's needs, appointments or activities change?
- 04How will you support my relative to attend healthcare appointments and manage medicines safely?
- 05How are people and their relatives involved in reviewing care plans and raising concerns?
This was an unannounced comprehensive inspection covering all five areas, and the overall rating remained Good from the previous inspection. This explanation was written from the published report of 29 September 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 Carleton House
2 rated inspections over 4 years: the service has held its Good rating throughout.
- December 2020Inspected but not ratedcurrent ratingSafe: Inspected but not rated
- September 2018Goodstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- February 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.
- August 2011
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 10 August 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.
Weigh the report against the rest
Fees, photos and reviews from families
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What to check when you visit
85 live-in carers within about an hour of Lancashire
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 £1,260 a week. 78 can care for a couple. 11 years' experience on average.
“She understands the needs of an elderly person in the early stages of dementia and has treated my mother with great kindness and skill.”
“Thanks to Tracy, Dad was always immaculately dressed and clean, his meals were all home cooked and nutritionally well balanced and his home was always kept really clean and tidy.”
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.