CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at Castle Dene
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
- Safe?
- Good
- Inspectors found safeguarding systems, health and safety checks, recruitment checks and medicines support were generally safe. They identified a need to improve the management of topical medicines, such as checking creams had not passed their use-by date.
- Effective?
- Requires improvement
- Some refresher training needed to be completed, and the service needed to update its knowledge of best-practice guidance, including oral health. Communication with some relatives and the condition of the respite premises also needed improvement.
- Caring?
- Good
- People were treated with kindness, dignity and respect. Staff involved people in decisions and supported communication through gestures, facial expressions and other individual methods.
- Responsive?
- Good
- Staff and shared lives carers knew people well and adapted support to their needs, preferences and communication styles. Some updates to relatives and reviews of care plans were not always consistent.
- Well-led?
- Good
- Inspectors found a person-centred and empowering culture, supportive leadership and regular checks on quality and safety. Managers were working to improve the consistency of care plan checks and involvement.
What inspectors found, January 2020
Castle Dene was rated Good overall; inspectors found kind, safe care, but the Effective rating Requires Improvement because training and current best-practice knowledge were not always up to date.
Inspectors visited on 17 and 18 December 2019. They visited the respite care home, reviewed care, medicines, staff and management records, observed support and spoke with people, relatives, staff, shared lives carers and professionals.
The service was rated Good for Safe, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. People were treated with kindness and respect, supported to make choices, and helped to build independence and take part in activities.
Effective was rated Requires Improvement. Some refresher training was overdue, and the service needed to keep its knowledge of current guidance up to date, including guidance about oral health. The respite building also needed updating and refurbishment.
The overall Good rating means inspectors found the service was performing well overall, but improvements were needed in the effectiveness of care and support. The previous overall rating was also Good.
Kind and respectful support
People appeared calm and relaxed with staff. Relatives gave positive feedback about the care and said staff knew people well.
“Staff support to people in the respite service was respectful, dignified and person-centred.” from the report
Choice and independence
Support focused on helping people gain skills, make choices and become more independent. People were supported to take part in education, community activities and other interests.
“The outcomes for people using the service reflected the principles and values of Registering the Right Support by promoting choice and control, independence and inclusion.” from the report
People felt safe
People using the shared lives service said they felt safe. Staff and carers understood safeguarding responsibilities, and safety checks were completed.
“People using the shared lives service told us they felt safe living with their carers.” from the report
Good knowledge of people's needs
Staff and carers understood how people communicated and provided personalised support. Care plans included information about needs, preferences and backgrounds.
“Staff and shared lives carers knew people they supported well.” from the report
Supportive leadership
Inspectors found an inclusive culture and a manager who was respected by staff. Meetings, monitoring visits and quality checks were in place.
“The person-centred and empowering culture of the service was led by a well-respected registered manager.” from the report
Training and current guidance
needs fixingRefresher training was not complete across several topics. The service also needed to update its knowledge of best-practice guidance, including oral health.
“However, completion of refresher sessions needed to be improved across different topics.” from the report
Building condition
minorThe respite premises needed updating, refurbishment and redecorating. The manager had raised this with the provider.
“The respite premises required some updating, refurbishment and redecorating.” from the report
Reviews and communication
needs fixingSome relatives reported that communication was not always consistent. Updates before and after respite stays and reviews of care plans also needed to be more consistent.
“At times this, as well as review of care plans, needed to be more consistent.” from the report
Topical medicines
needs fixingInspectors found that the management of creams and other topical applications needed improvement, including checking that they had not passed their use-by date.
“We highlighted some improvement needs to the management of topical applications, such as creams, to ensure they had not passed their 'use by' date.” from the report
- 01Which refresher training was overdue at the inspection, and has all of it now been completed?
- 02How do you keep staff knowledge of oral health and other current best-practice guidance up to date?
- 03What refurbishment or updating has been completed in the respite building since the inspection?
- 04How do you make sure care plan reviews and updates to relatives are completed consistently?
- 05How are creams and other topical medicines checked so they are not used after their use-by date?
This was a planned inspection of both the respite care home and the shared lives scheme, covering all five CQC questions and checking whether the previous Good rating had been sustained. This explanation was written from the published report of 9 January 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, June 2017
Castle Dene was rated Good; inspectors found safe, kind and personalised care, with some records and mealtime practice needing attention.
Inspectors visited without notice on 9 and 10 May 2017. They spoke with people using the centre, staff, carers and a relative. They also reviewed care plans, training, recruitment and other service records.
The home provides short breaks for adults with learning and physical disabilities, including emergency placements. It also manages a shared lives scheme, where adults are supported in a carer's home. Inspectors found people were safe, treated with kindness, supported to make choices and helped to take part in activities and community life.
All five areas were rated Good: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. Care records had improved since the previous inspection and inspectors found that this improvement had been maintained. Some food and fluid records were not completed promptly, and one mealtime was not handled in a dignified way. The manager took action during the inspection.
Personalised care
Care plans described people's abilities, communication, preferences and support needs. They also gave staff a good understanding of each person's personality and interests.
“Care plans were tailored to the individual, specifying their abilities, communication and the extent of support required to meet their needs.” from the report
Kind relationships
People said they trusted staff and felt listened to. Inspectors observed staff respecting privacy and offering choices in everyday life.
“We observed that staff ensured people were adequately supervised and engaged with them in a caring way.” from the report
Safety systems
The home had safeguarding procedures, trained staff, thorough recruitment checks and risk information in care plans. Shared lives placements were monitored through regular visits.
“People using the service received safe and consistent care from staff and carers who had been robustly recruited.” from the report
Activities and independence
People were supported to keep their routines, see friends, access the community and build everyday skills.
“The short break service aimed to keep to the individual's routine during their stay whilst offering social opportunities.” from the report
Improved care records
The previous problem with record-keeping had been addressed. Inspectors found that care plans were current and appropriate at this inspection.
“The records we reviewed at this visit showed standards were being maintained.” from the report
Mealtime dignity
needs fixingInspectors saw one person being supported with their meal in a way that was not appropriate or dignified. The manager said this was not usual practice and arranged practical training and closer supervision.
“During lunch at the centre we observed a person being supported with their meal by a staff member in a manner that was not appropriate or dignified.” from the report
Food and fluid records
minorFood and fluid intake records were not always completed promptly. The manager said completion would be reinforced with staff.
“Each person's food and fluid intake was monitored, though we noted the records were not always being completed in a timely way.” from the report
Supervision records
needs fixingRecords of supervision for the shared lives worker were not always made or stored. The manager agreed to restart regular recorded supervision.
“We noted that records of their supervision were not always taken or stored.” from the report
- 01What practical training and checks have been put in place to make sure mealtime support is dignified?
- 02How do you make sure food and fluid intake records are completed promptly?
- 03How is supervision for the shared lives worker recorded and checked now?
- 04How will you maintain my relative's usual routine, activities and community contacts during a short break?
- 05How will you match and monitor a shared lives carer, including support outside office hours?
This was an unannounced inspection of the short break centre and shared lives scheme, covering all five CQC questions and the overall rating. This explanation was written from the published report of 23 June 2017 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
4 rated inspections over 5 years: the service has held its Good rating throughout.
- January 2020Goodcurrent ratingstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: Requires improvementCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- June 2017Goodstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- December 2015Goodstayed GoodResponsive: Requires improvement
- May 2015GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: Requires improvementWell-led: Good
- January 2014
Report published without a new overall rating.
- February 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- March 2012
Report published without a new overall rating.
- July 2011
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 14 July 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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36 live-in carers within about an hour of Newcastle upon Tyne
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 £950 to £1,160 a week. 30 can care for a couple. 10 years' experience on average.
“Petty introduced herself to Mum every time she was caring for her and responded very quickly to Mum if she was distressed in the night.”
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.