CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at Cotswold Lodge
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
- Safe?
- Good
- People were protected from abuse and avoidable harm. Risks were assessed, staffing was sufficient, recruitment checks were completed and medicines were managed safely.
- Effective?
- Good
- Staff had suitable induction, training and supervision. People were supported with food, healthcare, decision-making and their individual needs.
- Caring?
- Good
- Staff treated people with kindness, dignity and respect. People were supported to express their views and develop independence at their own pace.
- Responsive?
- Good
- Care plans were personalised and included people’s routines, communication needs and preferences. People were supported with activities, family relationships and concerns.
- Well-led?
- Requires improvement
- The home had a clear management structure and quality checks, but some Deprivation of Liberty notifications had not been sent to CQC on time. The notifications were sent after the inspection and action was taken.
What inspectors found, November 2019
Rated Good overall; inspectors found safe, kind and personalised care, but the home’s leadership was rated Requires Improvement after some notifications were missed.
This was an unannounced planned inspection. One inspector visited on 24 September 2019, meeting five people and speaking with three of them, staff and the registered manager. The inspector also reviewed care records, medicines, staffing, training and quality checks, then spoke with relatives and health professionals.
Inspectors found people were safe, treated with kindness and supported to make choices and build independence. Staff were trained, staffing levels were enough, medicines were managed safely, and care plans reflected people’s needs, communication and preferences. People were supported to take part in activities, maintain relationships and access healthcare.
The overall rating was Good, as were Safe, Effective, Caring and Responsive. Well-led was rated Requires Improvement, falling from Good at the previous inspection. The registered manager had not sent some Deprivation of Liberty notifications to CQC, although these were sent retrospectively after the inspection and action was taken to prevent this happening again.
Safe staffing and medicines
Inspectors found enough staff to support people in a calm and unrushed way. Medicines were stored, administered and recorded safely.
“Staffing levels were enough for the current number of people in the service.” from the report
Kind and respectful care
Staff knew people well and used suitable approaches to support them when they became upset. They respected privacy, dignity and personal choices.
“We observed positive interactions between people and staff throughout the visit.” from the report
Personalised support
Care plans described people’s routines, communication methods, preferences and positive ways to respond to behaviour. Staff supported people to make progress towards greater independence.
“Peoples plans of care were personalised to address their individual needs, wishes and preferences for support.” from the report
Activities and relationships
People were supported to go out, follow hobbies and maintain important family relationships. Staff also helped people work towards meaningful goals.
“People were supported to lead an active life going out most days if they wanted to.” from the report
Missed legal notifications
needs fixingThe registered manager had not notified CQC about Deprivation of Liberty authorisations as required. The notifications were sent retrospectively after the inspection, and the home said it had taken action to avoid a repeat.
“The registered manager understood the requirement for them to notify CQC of specific events and had done so in all respects apart from Deprivation of Liberty authorisation notifications.” from the report
- 01What changes have been made to ensure all Deprivation of Liberty notifications are sent to CQC on time?
- 02How does the home check that its quality and governance systems identify and correct missed actions?
- 03How will staff support my relative’s preferred communication method and involve them in everyday and more complex decisions?
- 04What opportunities will my relative have to develop independence, pursue interests and maintain family relationships?
- 05How does the home use positive behaviour support and ensure support remains as least restrictive as possible?
This was an unannounced planned inspection covering all five CQC questions, the premises and the care provided; the inspector also reviewed records and later spoke with relatives and health professionals. This explanation was written from the published report of 2 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.
What inspectors found, March 2017
Cotswold Lodge was rated Good; inspectors found safe, kind and personalised care, with some planned maintenance and less face-to-face training available.
The inspection was unannounced and took place on 18 November 2016. One inspector observed care, spoke with people, relatives, staff and a visiting professional, and reviewed care records, staff files, medicines records and quality checks.
All five areas were rated Good: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. Inspectors found enough staff, safe medicines practices, suitable training, kind care, personalised support and good management.
The home supported seven people with complex learning disabilities. People were involved in decisions where possible, supported to attend activities and maintain relationships, and helped to access health care. Plans were also in place for refurbishment and required maintenance.
Safe staffing
Inspectors found that staffing levels were based on people's needs and that there were enough staff to support people safely.
“There were enough staff on duty to support people safely at all times.” from the report
Kind and respectful care
Staff knew people's histories, preferences and communication styles. Inspectors saw caring interactions and respect for privacy and dignity.
“People were cared for and supported in a kind and compassionate way by staff that knew them well and were familiar with their needs.” from the report
Personalised support
Care plans included people's preferences, wishes and ways of communicating. People were supported to take part in hobbies, outings and family life.
“People were supported to participate in hobbies and things they enjoyed.” from the report
Open management
People and staff could raise views through regular meetings and conversations. Audits and action plans were used to check the quality of the service.
“The provider had quality monitoring processes in place to manage and improve the service.” from the report
Less face-to-face training
minorStaff said face-to-face training had become less available recently. This was not reflected in a lower rating, but families may want to check how training is provided now.
“However staff told us face to face training was less available recently which they felt was a shame” from the report
Planned maintenance
minorThe home needed some refurbishment and maintenance, which was planned for the months after the inspection. Families should ask what work was completed and whether any work remains.
“There were plans in place to refurbish and carry out some required maintenance at the home in the coming months.” from the report
- 01What refurbishment and maintenance work identified in the report has now been completed?
- 02How much face-to-face training do staff receive now, and how are their skills checked before they work unsupervised?
- 03How will my relative be involved in reviewing their care plan and making decisions if they communicate without speech?
- 04How are staffing levels adjusted when people attend activities, appointments or outings?
- 05How are people's medicines, including medicines prescribed for use when needed, checked and recorded?
This was an unannounced inspection of the overall service and all five CQC questions; the previous inspection was on 23 January 2014. This explanation was written from the published report of 22 March 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 Cotswold Lodge
2 rated inspections over 3 years: the service has held its Good rating throughout.
- November 2019Goodcurrent ratingstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Requires improvement
- March 2017GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- February 2014
Report published without a new overall rating.
- April 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- February 2012
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 5 February 2012.
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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39 live-in carers within about an hour of Kent
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. 33 can care for a couple. 12 years' experience on average.
“Always on time and with a lovely smile for my mum. Theresa is kind and sensitive to my mum's needs.”
“Irene was a very kind and empathetic carer who knew just the right words to say to put a smile on my face.”
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.