CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at Cornerways
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
- Safe?
- Good
- Inspectors found enough staff, safe recruitment, good infection control and plans for managing identified risks. They found some problems with controlled medicines records and medicine expiry dates.
- Effective?
- Good
- No rating was given for this question in this inspection.
- Caring?
- Good
- No rating was given for this question in this inspection.
- Responsive?
- Good
- No rating was given for this question in this inspection.
- Well-led?
- Good
- Inspectors found a supportive manager, staff involvement in changes and quality systems aimed at improving care. The medicines audit had not identified the recording problems.
What inspectors found, February 2022
Rated Good; inspectors found safe, well-managed care, but some medicines records and checks needed improvement.
This was an unannounced inspection on 3 and 9 November 2021. Inspectors spoke with people living at the home, relatives, staff and visiting professionals. They reviewed care records, medicines records, staff files and management records.
The home was rated Good overall. Inspectors found enough staff, timely responses to call bells, safe recruitment and good infection control. Risks such as falls, poor nutrition, dehydration and pressure damage had been identified and plans were in place to manage them.
Some controlled medicines had not been recorded as required, and two medicines did not have opening dates recorded. Inspectors recommended improvements to medicines management and to the audit process. No breach of regulations was reported, and people had received their medicines as prescribed.
Enough staff
Inspectors saw enough staff to meet people's needs. Staff had time to talk with people and responded promptly when support was needed.
“Throughout the inspection there was a calm atmosphere and staff responded promptly to people who needed support.” from the report
Managing risks
The home had identified risks including falls, poor nutrition, dehydration and pressure damage. Staff followed the plans put in place to reduce these risks.
“Where risks were identified staff followed the guidance in people's risk management plans.” from the report
Infection control
The home was clean and inspectors found that infection prevention measures were being followed, including the safe use of protective equipment.
“We were assured that the provider was using PPE effectively and safely.” from the report
Open leadership
People, relatives and staff described the manager as approachable and involved. Inspectors found an open culture focused on improving people's experience and safety.
“There was a positive open culture at the service that valued people as individuals and looked for ways to continually improve people's experience and safety.” from the report
Medicines records
needs fixingSome controlled medicines had not been recorded in line with current requirements. Inspectors checked the balances and were satisfied that people had received their medicines as prescribed.
“However, we found examples of where some controlled medicines had not been recorded in line with current legislation.” from the report
Medicine expiry dates
needs fixingTwo medicines did not have their opening dates recorded. This meant staff could not tell from the records when those medicines were due to expire.
“Although in the majority of cases we saw opening dates, we also saw two examples of this not taking place.” from the report
Medicines auditing
needs fixingThe home's recently changed medicines audit had not picked up the recording problems. Inspectors recommended that this checking process should be reviewed.
“However, the concerns we found in relation to medicines had not been identified because they had recently adapted their auditing system.” from the report
- 01What changes have you made to the recording of controlled medicines since this inspection?
- 02How do you record when medicines are opened and check that they are still within their expiry date?
- 03How has the medicines audit process been changed so that recording problems are found promptly?
- 04What is the current plan for reducing the risks identified around the home's staircases?
This was a focused inspection of Safe and Well-led; the report gives ratings only for these two questions. This explanation was written from the published report of 8 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.
What inspectors found, July 2018
Rated Good; inspectors found safe, kind and personalised care, while noting the building was not ideal for people living with dementia.
Inspectors visited on 5 and 6 June 2018. The first day was unannounced and started at 7am so they could see night staff arrangements. They spoke with people, relatives, staff and a healthcare professional, and reviewed care records, medicines, risk assessments, staff files and service audits.
The home was rated Good overall and Good in all five areas: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. Inspectors found enough staff, safe medicines systems, suitable risk assessments, regular care reviews and staff who understood people's needs, including needs linked to dementia.
People and relatives said the care was kind and supportive. Inspectors saw that people were treated with dignity, encouraged to remain independent and supported to follow their interests. The home had improved its garden, signage and dining room to make the environment more suitable for people with dementia.
The inspection was prompted partly by an incident in which a person died. Another agency was investigating that incident, so CQC did not examine what happened. This inspection did examine falls risks and found that the home had reviewed risks and taken steps to reduce them.
Kind and respectful care
People and relatives spoke positively about staff. Inspectors saw that staff understood people's histories and preferences and supported them with dignity and warmth.
“People told us staff were caring, friendly and committed.” from the report
Personalised support
Care plans included people's routines, health needs, communication difficulties, interests and life histories. Staff adjusted support to individual choices.
“Care plans were person centred and fully reflected people's current medical, nursing, emotional and social needs.” from the report
Staffing and training
Inspectors found enough staff on duty and a thorough recruitment process. Staff received training and regular supervision to support people safely.
“We found enough staff were on duty to meet people's needs and staff had been subject to a thorough recruitment process” from the report
Activities and environment
The home offered daily activities, trips and opportunities to follow hobbies. It had also made changes to help people living with dementia understand and use the environment.
“This included use of coloured doors, easy read directional signage, a themed dining room and a newly developed secure garden with sensory areas.” from the report
Learning from incidents
The home reviewed incidents and accidents and took action after the incident that prompted this inspection. This included reviewing care plans, risk assessments and parts of the building.
“The service learned from incidents and accidents to improve people's safety.” from the report
Building layout
minorThe building had bedrooms over three floors, while communal areas were on the ground floor. Inspectors said this presented difficulties for supporting people with significant dementia, although the home had made some improvements.
“The building presented difficulties in supporting people with significant dementia” from the report
Serious incident outside this inspection
needs fixingThe inspection followed an incident in which a person died. Another agency was investigating it, and CQC did not examine the circumstances, so this report does not provide findings about what happened.
“The incident is subject to investigation by another agency.” from the report
- 01What changes have been made since June 2018 to manage falls risks, and how are those risks reviewed for each resident?
- 02How would you support my relative if they find the three-floor layout difficult because of dementia or mobility problems?
- 03How many staff are normally on duty during the day, evening and night, and how would staffing change if my relative's needs increased?
- 04How would you support my relative's personal routines, communication needs, hobbies and preferred activities?
- 05What is the current position of the external investigation into the incident mentioned in the report, and have any further changes been made as a result?
This was an inspection of all five key questions, but it did not examine the circumstances of the death that prompted the visit because those were being investigated by another agency. This explanation was written from the published report of 12 July 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 Cornerways
4 rated inspections over 7 years: the service has improved, from Requires improvement to Good.
- February 2022Goodcurrent ratingstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- July 2018Goodstayed GoodSafe: GoodWell-led: Good
- August 2016Goodup from Requires improvementSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- July 2015Requires improvementSafe: Requires improvementEffective: Requires improvementCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- October 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- April 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- February 2012
Report published without a new overall rating.
- March 2011
Report published without a new overall rating.
- January 2011
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 17 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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Most charge £980 to £1,400 a week. 17 can care for a couple. 12 years' experience on average.
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