CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at Dingle Meadow
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
- Safe?
- Good
- People said they felt safe. Risks were assessed and reviewed, staff understood safeguarding procedures, and medicines were managed safely. Some people reported waiting for support at times.
- Effective?
- Good
- Care plans were detailed and personalised. Staff had relevant training and support, people received enough to eat and drink, and the home worked with health professionals.
- Caring?
- Good
- Staff treated people with kindness, dignity and respect. People were involved in decisions and encouraged to remain as independent as possible.
- Responsive?
- Good
- Care was planned around people's needs, preferences and changing circumstances. People could choose activities, visitors were welcomed, and the home had a complaints system.
- Well-led?
- Good
- People, relatives and staff felt the home was well managed. The manager used audits, meetings and an improvement plan to monitor and improve the service.
What inspectors found, October 2019
Rated Good; inspectors found safe, kind and personalised care, although some people sometimes waited for support.
This was an unannounced inspection on 27 August 2019. Inspectors spoke with eight people living at the home, seven relatives and members of staff. They reviewed care records, medicines records, quality checks and a recruitment and training record.
The home was rated Good in all five areas: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. Inspectors found that risks were managed, medicines were given safely, care plans were detailed and staff had suitable training and support.
People and relatives said staff were kind and respectful. People were involved in their care, supported to make choices and offered activities suited to their interests. The home had systems for handling complaints and monitoring the quality of care.
Safe care
Inspectors found that risks to people's safety were identified and managed effectively. Staff understood the risks affecting the people they supported.
“People had risks to their personal safety identified and managed effectively.” from the report
Medicines
People received medicines as prescribed. The home had effective checks covering administration, storage and records.
“People received their medicines as prescribed and there were effective monitoring and checking processes in place to ensure all aspects of the administration, storage and recording of medicines were safe.” from the report
Dignity and kindness
Inspectors found significant improvement in protecting privacy and dignity since the previous inspection. Staff knocked before entering rooms and supported people's choices.
“We found that significant improvement had been made to ensure people's privacy and dignity was respected and promoted.” from the report
Personalised support
Care plans included people's preferences, life experiences and health needs. Staff reviewed plans when people's needs changed.
“Plans seen were detailed and personalised.” from the report
Activities and relationships
People could choose whether to join activities, including entertainment and outings. Staff also supported people to maintain contact with important visitors.
“People were supported to take part in activities within the home.” from the report
Waiting for support
minorSome people said they sometimes had to wait for support, which they found frustrating. The manager said the home was recruiting staff.
“Overall people told us there were sufficient staff to support them although some people said they sometimes had to wait for support and that this could be frustrating.” from the report
- 01How many care staff are normally on duty on each shift, and how do you respond when people have to wait for support?
- 02What progress has been made with recruiting staff since this inspection?
- 03How are care plans reviewed when a person's health or needs change?
- 04How do you make sure people's privacy and dignity are protected during personal care?
- 05What activities and outings are currently available for people who do not enjoy structured activities?
This was an unannounced scheduled inspection covering all five CQC questions, and the report says the home and the care provided were both looked at. This explanation was written from the published report of 3 October 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 Dingle Meadow
4 rated inspections over 4 years: the service has improved, from Requires improvement to Good.
- October 2019Goodcurrent ratingstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- August 2016Goodup from Requires improvementSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: Requires improvementResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- May 2016Requires improvementstayed Requires improvementSafe: Requires improvement
- January 2016Requires improvementSafe: Requires improvementEffective: Requires improvementCaring: Requires improvementResponsive: Requires improvementWell-led: Requires improvement
- June 2014
Report published without a new overall rating.
- October 2013
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.
- October 2011
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 31 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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At least 100 live-in carers within about an hour of Sandwell
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 £1,190 a week. 87 can care for a couple. 9 years' experience on average.
“God doesn't make people like her anymore!”
“Knowing Mum was in Corina's care made an enormous difference to us and we knew she was in safe hands.”
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.