CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at Castle Dene Care Home
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
- Safe?
- Good
- Inspectors found people were protected from abuse and avoidable harm. Risks, medicines, recruitment and infection control were managed safely.
- Effective?
- Good
- This area was not assessed during this focused inspection. Its previous rating was used to calculate the overall rating.
- Caring?
- Good
- This area was not assessed during this focused inspection. Its previous rating was used to calculate the overall rating.
- Responsive?
- Good
- This area was not assessed during this focused inspection. Its previous rating was used to calculate the overall rating.
- Well-led?
- Good
- Inspectors found supportive management, good communication with relatives and quality checks that were used to identify and address improvements.
What inspectors found, November 2022
Castle Dene Care Home was rated Good; inspectors found people were safe and the home was well-led, but staffing vacancies remained.
This was an unannounced focused inspection on 12 October 2022. Inspectors looked at Safe and Well-led because CQC had received concerns about the standard of care. They found no evidence that people were at risk of harm from those concerns.
Inspectors spoke with people, relatives and staff. They reviewed care records, recruitment files, medicines records, training and maintenance documents, and quality checks. They found people were protected from abuse, risks were assessed, medicines were managed safely and infection control arrangements were in place.
The home was rated Good for Safe and Well-led. The overall rating was also Good. Effective, Caring and Responsive were not assessed during this inspection, so their previous ratings were used from the last inspection, published in November 2019.
Risks were assessed
People had up-to-date risk assessments and staff had clear guidance about medical conditions and distressing behaviours.
“People had robust risk assessments in place which were up to date and regularly reviewed.” from the report
Medicines were managed safely
Inspectors found that medicines were stored properly and people received them as prescribed, including medicines that had to be given at particular times.
“Medicines were managed safely. Staff stored medicines appropriately, and people received their medicines as prescribed.” from the report
Supportive atmosphere
Staff said they felt supported by managers. Inspectors found a friendly and welcoming atmosphere in the home.
“There was a positive, friendly and welcoming atmosphere in the service.” from the report
Relatives were kept informed
The home held meetings, gathered feedback and used newsletters to keep people and relatives up to date.
“The provider engaged people who used the service, and their relatives, well.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01How many staff vacancies are there now, and how are staffing levels being maintained?
- 02How often are agency staff used, and how do you make sure they know each resident's needs?
- 03What were the previous ratings for Effective, Caring and Responsive, and when will these areas next be reviewed?
- 04How are relatives currently involved in meetings, feedback and decisions about care?
- 05How do you check that medicines, risk assessments and care plans remain accurate and up to date?
This was an unannounced focused inspection of Safe and Well-led, with infection control also considered; the Effective, Caring and Responsive ratings carried over from the inspection published in November 2019. This explanation was written from the published report of 10 November 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.
What inspectors found, November 2019
Rated Good; inspectors found safe, kind and well-managed care, with activities and accessible information still developing.
This was an unannounced planned inspection on 15 October and 29 October 2019. Inspectors spoke with people living at the home, visitors and staff. They reviewed care records, medicine records, recruitment files and management records.
The home was rated Good in all five areas: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. Inspectors found that medicines, staffing, safeguarding and risk management were handled safely. People were treated with kindness and respect, and their care plans were detailed and personal.
The home had improved since its previous Requires Improvement rating in October 2018. The provider had acted on its improvement plan, and inspectors found the home was no longer in breach of regulations. A new activity coordinator was developing activities based on what people wanted, and some work on signs and accessible information was still under way.
Safe medicines and staffing
Inspectors found that medicines were managed safely and staffing levels met people's needs. Staff recruitment checks and medicine training were also in place.
“Medicines were managed safely. The provider followed safe protocols for the receipt, storage, administration and disposal of medicines.” from the report
Kind and respectful care
People described staff positively, and inspectors saw staff engaging with people in a patient and respectful way. Staff knew people's preferences and life histories.
“People and relatives consistently said that staff treated them with kindness and compassion” from the report
Personal care planning
Care plans included people's likes, dislikes and wishes. They covered areas such as health, personal care, eating and drinking, activities and dementia support.
“Care plans were detailed, person centred and reflected the level of support people required from staff” from the report
Improved management systems
The home had introduced regular audits and used them to monitor safety and improve the service. Staff said the manager was approachable and supportive.
“Audits were used to assess standards and drive improvements. We saw these were regularly completed and reviewed.” from the report
Activities still developing
minorThe home had recently appointed an activity coordinator, who was still finding out what people wanted. Activities were taking place, but this programme was not yet fully established.
“The provider had recently employed an activity coordinator and in the process of working out what people wanted to do.” from the report
Signs and accessible information
minorInspectors said more work was needed on signs to help people identify rooms. The manager was also working on providing information in larger print and with pictures.
“Further work was needed with this and this was addressed in the providers refurbishment plan.” from the report
- 01What activities are now available, and how have they been shaped by what residents said they wanted?
- 02Has the planned work on signs around bedrooms, bathrooms and toilets been completed?
- 03How do you provide information in larger print or with pictures for people who need it?
- 04How will you support my relative's particular dietary, health or communication needs?
- 05How are care plans reviewed with residents and their relatives?
This was an unannounced planned inspection that looked at the premises and care provided, and assessed all five CQC questions. This explanation was written from the published report of 13 November 2019 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 Castle Dene Care Home
4 rated inspections over 7 years: the service has held its Good rating throughout.
- November 2022Goodcurrent ratingstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- November 2019Goodup from Requires improvementSafe: GoodWell-led: Good
- October 2018Requires improvementdown from GoodSafe: Requires improvementEffective: Requires improvementCaring: GoodResponsive: Requires improvementWell-led: Requires improvement
- May 2016GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: Requires improvementWell-led: Good
- November 2015
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 3 November 2015.
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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31 live-in carers within about an hour of Redcar and Cleveland
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