CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at Dalemead Care Home Limited
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
What inspectors found, November 2019
Dalemead Care Home Limited was rated Good overall, with Outstanding personalised activities and a recommendation to improve staff training records.
This was a planned, unannounced inspection on the first day and a return visit on the second day. Inspectors spoke with people, relatives, staff and health professionals. They reviewed care plans, medicines records, staff files, complaints, incidents and management records.
The home was rated Good for Safe, Effective, Caring and Well-led. Inspectors found people were safe, staff were caring and competent, medicines were given safely, and people were involved in decisions about their care.
Responsive care was rated Outstanding. The home offered a wide range of meaningful activities, helped people continue important interests and relationships, and worked with community groups. Care plans included people's wishes, daily needs and end of life choices.
The overall rating remained Good, as it was at the previous inspection in April 2017. Responsive improved from Good to Outstanding. Inspectors recommended a more reliable system for checking staff training and refresher dates.
Meaningful activities
The home offered varied activities inside and outside the home. Staff helped people continue hobbies, cultural interests and important events from their lives.
“There was a thriving activities programme at the home, both internally and from external organisations.” from the report
Personalised support
Care plans reflected people's needs, wishes and goals. People and relatives were involved in planning and reviewing care.
“Each person had an individual care plan based on a comprehensive assessment of their needs.” from the report
Kind and respectful care
People and relatives praised the staff's kindness. Inspectors saw friendly relationships and support that respected people's privacy, dignity and independence.
“The relationships between people and care workers was friendly and relaxed.” from the report
Safe medicines practice
Inspectors observed a medicines round and found that staff checked medicines, sought consent and recorded administration properly.
“We observed a care worker carrying out a medicines round this was done in a safe way following good practice.” from the report
Community links
The home worked with schools, charities, volunteers and healthcare services. These links helped people take part in activities and receive support.
“The service took a key role in the local community and was actively involved in building further links.” from the report
Training records
needs fixingInspectors found that some staff training records were unclear or not fully updated. They recommended a stronger system for checking completed training and when refresher training is due.
“However, these records were not always clear or fully updated with the dates that we saw on the individual files.” from the report
- 01How do you now check that all staff training records are complete and that refresher training is done on time?
- 02How do you assess pain for people who cannot clearly say when they are in pain?
- 03What personalised activities are available for someone with dementia who cannot join group activities?
- 04How are people and relatives involved in reviewing care plans and end of life wishes?
- 05How do you make sure people's food, cultural and religious preferences continue to be met?
This was a planned comprehensive inspection covering all five key questions; the previous overall rating was Good and Responsive improved from Good to Outstanding. This explanation was written from the published report of 19 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, April 2017
Dalemead Care Home Limited was rated Good; inspectors found safe, kind and personalised care across all five areas.
This was an unannounced, comprehensive inspection on 13 and 14 March 2017. The inspectors spoke with people living at the home, relatives, staff and managers. They observed care and checked care records, staff records, policies and other management records.
The home was rated Good overall. It was also rated Good for Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. Inspectors found that people felt safe, staff knew them well, medicines were managed safely and care records reflected people's needs and preferences.
People and relatives spoke positively about the kindness of staff, the activities available and the choice of food. Inspectors also found stable staffing, appropriate training, good links with health services and systems to check the quality and safety of the home.
The home had met all the standards at the previous inspection on 27 April 2015. This inspection found that it remained Good.
Stable staffing
The home had a consistent staff team who knew people well. It did not use agency staff during the inspection.
“The home did not employ agency staff, and this contributed towards the sense of consistency and stability at the home.” from the report
Personalised care
Care records described people's histories, preferences and routines. Staff used this information to provide individual support.
“Care records explained to staff how people wished to be supported as well as including detailed interventions and outcomes when delivering care to people.” from the report
Kind and respectful staff
Inspectors saw friendly and familiar interactions. People and relatives said staff were kind, attentive and respectful.
“Observed interactions between staff and people using the service were familiar and friendly and staff clearly knew how to work positively with people to help ensure their wellbeing.” from the report
Activities and relationships
The home provided activities for different interests and abilities. People were supported to maintain contact with family and friends.
“A comprehensive range of activities was in place all year round which catered for all tastes and abilities.” from the report
Safe medicines management
Medicines were stored securely, records were accurate and staff had training in medicines management.
“Medicines management in the service was safe.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01How will you continue to provide consistent staffing for my relative?
- 02How will you support my relative's specific routines, preferences and cultural or religious needs?
- 03What activities would be suitable for my relative's interests and abilities?
- 04How will you support someone with advanced dementia or approaching the end of life?
- 05How will relatives be involved in care reviews and raising any concerns?
This was a comprehensive, unannounced inspection covering all five questions and the overall quality of the home. This explanation was written from the published report of 11 April 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 Dalemead Care Home Limited
3 rated inspections over 4 years: the service has held its Good rating throughout.
- November 2019Goodcurrent ratingstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: OutstandingWell-led: Good
- April 2017Goodstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- July 2015GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- May 2014
Report published without a new overall rating.
- June 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- November 2012
Report published without a new overall rating.
- October 2011
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 26 October 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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