CQC report explained · a nursing home
What the CQC found at Carrick House Nursing Home
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
- Safe?
- Good
- Inspectors found enough staff, safe recruitment checks, suitable risk assessments, safe medicines systems and effective infection prevention measures. Incidents were reviewed so lessons could be shared.
- Effective?
- Good
- People's needs were assessed and care plans were reviewed. Staff were trained and supported, and people received support with eating, drinking, healthcare and consent.
- Caring?
- Good
- This key question was not inspected during this focused visit. Its previous rating was carried forward when the overall rating was calculated.
- Responsive?
- Good
- This key question was not inspected during this focused visit. Its previous rating was carried forward when the overall rating was calculated.
- Well-led?
- Good
- Inspectors found approachable management, clear quality checks and systems for learning from incidents, complaints and feedback. Staff said they were supported and worked as a team.
What inspectors found, June 2023
Carrick House Nursing Home is rated Good; inspectors found safe, effective and well-led care, with improvements since the previous inspection.
This was an unannounced focused inspection on 24 May 2023. One inspector and an Expert by Experience spoke with people, relatives, staff and managers. They also checked care records, medicines records, staff files, policies and quality checks.
The home was rated Good overall. Inspectors found enough staff, safe medicines systems, suitable risk assessments and effective infection control. Staff were trained and supported, and people received help with healthcare, food, drink and their everyday needs.
This inspection looked only at Safe, Effective and Well-led. Caring and Responsive were not inspected at this visit. Their previous ratings were carried forward when the overall rating was calculated.
Enough staff
Inspectors found enough staff to meet people's needs promptly. Staff knew people well, and recruitment checks had been completed.
“There were enough staff deployed to meet people's needs in a timely manner.” from the report
Safe medicines
Medicines were checked, stored and given by trained staff. Inspectors found the records they reviewed showed medicines were administered in line with prescribing instructions.
“Medicines were managed safely. Regular checks were completed on the medicines stock and records.” from the report
Improved care planning
The previous inspection recommended improvements to fluid and pressure area monitoring charts. Inspectors found improvements at this inspection, with detailed care plans and regular reviews.
“At this inspection we found the provider had made improvements.” from the report
Supportive leadership
The manager was described as approachable and supportive. Quality checks covered areas including infection control, medicines, meals and the environment.
“There were quality monitoring processes in place.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01How will you keep medicines checks and administration records accurate for my relative?
- 02How often will my relative's care plan and risks be reviewed, and what happens if their needs change sooner?
- 03How do you make sure staff continue to follow repositioning and pressure area monitoring plans?
- 04What feedback have you received from families through surveys, meetings or feedback forms, and what changes resulted?
- 05When will the planned renovation for additional storage be completed, and how will it affect communal areas?
This was an unannounced focused inspection of Safe, Effective and Well-led only; Caring and Responsive were not inspected and the previous ratings for uninspected areas were carried forward. This explanation was written from the published report of 29 June 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, February 2022
Inspected but not rated; inspectors found strong infection control and visiting arrangements during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Inspectors visited on 3 February 2022. The visit was announced one day beforehand and was targeted at infection control, visiting arrangements and the effect of COVID-19 staffing pressures.
They found an up-to-date infection control policy, regular checks of staff practice and enough protective equipment. The home was clean, people and staff had access to regular COVID-19 testing, and government visiting guidance was being followed.
Visiting was supported, including personalised visits and telephone or video calls for people whose relatives could not visit regularly. The service was inspected but not rated, so this report does not give a quality rating for the home.
Infection control checks
The home carried out regular checks of infection control practice and addressed problems found in its audits.
“The registered manager completed comprehensive IPC audits, and any shortfalls were promptly addressed.” from the report
Protective equipment
The home had a suitable supply of masks, gloves and aprons to help reduce infection risks.
“The provider had ensured that the home always had a suitable supply of PPE including face masks, disposable gloves and aprons.” from the report
Support for visiting
The home supported visits and gave examples of adapting visits to meet people's emotional needs. People could also keep in touch by telephone or video calls.
“They provided examples of personalised visiting that met the emotional needs of people and their loved ones.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01How do you carry out infection control audits now, and how quickly are any shortfalls corrected?
- 02What supplies of masks, gloves and aprons are currently available?
- 03How are visits arranged now, including visits for relatives who cannot attend regularly?
- 04How do you manage staffing pressures linked to COVID-19, and what effect would these have on people's care?
- 05How are residents and relatives kept informed when infection control guidance changes?
This was a targeted inspection of infection prevention and control, visiting arrangements and COVID-19 staffing pressures; the service was inspected but not rated. This explanation was written from the published report of 24 February 2022 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 Carrick House Nursing Home
6 rated inspections over 8 years: the service has held its Good rating throughout.
- June 2023Goodcurrent ratingSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- February 2022Inspected but not ratedSafe: Inspected but not rated
- October 2020Goodup from Requires improvementSafe: GoodEffective: Requires improvementWell-led: Good
- May 2019Requires improvementstayed Requires improvementSafe: Requires improvementEffective: Requires improvementWell-led: Requires improvement
- May 2018Requires improvementstayed Requires improvementSafe: Requires improvementEffective: Requires improvementCaring: GoodResponsive: Requires improvementWell-led: Requires improvement
- August 2017Requires improvementdown from GoodSafe: Requires improvementEffective: Requires improvementCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Requires improvement
- November 2015GoodSafe: GoodEffective: Requires improvementCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- October 2014
Report published without a new overall rating.
- November 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- May 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- March 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- March 2012
Report published without a new overall rating.
- January 2011
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 14 January 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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At least 100 live-in carers within about an hour of Brent
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. 74 can care for a couple. 11 years' experience on average.
“The quality of life that she's given my parents has been priceless. The peace of mind she's given my sisters and I, through a very difficult time, has been invaluable.”
“I can truly say that Peter always put Dad at the centre of everything and I know that they found a great friendship in difficult times.”
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.