CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at Downs View Care Centre
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
What inspectors found, March 2023
Downs View Care Centre was rated Good; inspectors found kind, personalised care and clear improvements since the previous inspection.
The inspection was unannounced and took place on 1 March 2023. One inspector and an expert by experience spoke with people, relatives, staff and healthcare professionals. They also reviewed care records and management records.
The home was rated Good overall. Effective, caring, responsive and well-led were all rated Good. The report does not give a rating for Safe.
The previous inspection rated the home Requires Improvement. Inspectors said people's needs were now fully assessed and care plans were more complete. The home was no longer in breach of Regulation 9 on person-centred care.
Personalised care
Care plans included people's histories, choices and preferences. Staff used this information to support daily routines and changing needs.
“Care plans were detailed, reviewed regularly, and were person-centred, containing people's likes, dislikes and preferences.” from the report
Kind and respectful staff
Inspectors observed staff treating people with care and protecting their privacy. People were encouraged to remain as independent as possible.
“We observed staff supporting people with care and kindness throughout our inspection.” from the report
Activities and relationships
People could take part in activities inside the home and in the community. These included hobbies, outings and visits from entertainers.
“People had access to a range of activities both inside the home and in the community.” from the report
Improved management
The home had improved since the previous inspection. Management used surveys, audits and incident information to identify and act on improvements.
“There was a culture of learning and development within the service.” from the report
One unit still awaiting refurbishment
minorOne unit had been refurbished, but the manager said the other unit was still planned for refurbishment and redecoration to make it more dementia friendly.
“The registered manager told us they were planning to re-furbish and re-decorate the other unit to make it also more dementia friendly.” from the report
- 01What progress has been made with refurbishing and redecorating the other unit?
- 02How will you assess and respond if my relative's needs change?
- 03How do you check that staff follow each person's care plan in practice?
- 04How do you manage and review falls, accidents and other incidents?
- 05How can my relative and our family give feedback or make a complaint, and how will we be told what action was taken?
This was an unannounced inspection covering Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led; the report does not give a Safe rating, and the other ratings from the previous inspection are not stated as carried over. This explanation was written from the published report of 16 March 2023 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, September 2022
Downs View Care Centre rated Requires Improvement; inspectors found good safety and leadership after major improvements, but three areas were not inspected.
This was an unannounced follow-up inspection on 08 September 2022. Two inspectors and an Expert by Experience visited, spoke with people, relatives and staff, observed care, and checked care, medicine, staffing and management records.
The home was rated Good for Safe and Well-led. Inspectors found that risks were assessed, medicines were managed safely, staffing levels met people's needs, infection controls were in place, and managers had improved checks and learning after incidents.
The overall rating is Requires Improvement because this visit only checked Safe and Well-led. The other three areas were not inspected, so their earlier ratings were used for the overall result. The home had previously been rated Inadequate and placed in Special Measures, but inspectors found enough improvement for it to leave Special Measures and no longer breach regulations.
Safer risk management
Care plans and risk assessments gave staff clear instructions about risks such as falls, choking, weight loss and diabetes.
“Risks to people were managed. Risk assessments included details of potential risk, level of risk and how it would affect people.” from the report
Medicines
Medicines were given by trained staff. Records matched stock balances and information for medicines given when needed was in place.
“Medicines were managed safely and administered by suitably trained staff. Staff followed safe procedures when administering people their medicines.” from the report
Enough staff
Inspectors found enough staff to meet people's needs. People and relatives also said staffing levels were sufficient.
“There were sufficient staffing levels to ensure people's needs were continually met.” from the report
Improved leadership
The manager had introduced regular audits and checks. Inspectors found that issues were acted on and lessons were learned from incidents.
“There was effective oversight of all areas of the service. Systems were in place to continually monitor the quality and standards of the service through regular audits and checks.” from the report
Not all areas were checked
minorThis was a follow-up inspection rather than a full inspection. Effective, Caring and Responsive were not assessed during this visit, so the overall rating still Requires Improvement.
“For those key questions not inspected, we used the ratings awarded at the last inspection to calculate the overall rating.” from the report
- 01What are the current ratings for Effective, Caring and Responsive, which were not assessed during this visit?
- 02How do you make sure the improvements to risk assessments and medicines management continue when staff or residents' needs change?
- 03How are staffing levels calculated from people's needs, and how do you respond if those needs increase?
- 04What happens after an accident, incident or safeguarding concern, and how are lessons shared with staff?
- 05How can relatives raise concerns or give feedback, and how quickly will the management team respond?
This was an unannounced follow-up inspection of Safe and Well-led after an earlier Inadequate rating; Effective, Caring and Responsive were not inspected and their previous ratings carried over. This explanation was written from the published report of 27 September 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.
Every inspection of Downs View Care Centre
7 rated inspections over 7 years: the service has improved, from Requires improvement to Good.
- March 2023Goodcurrent ratingup from Requires improvementSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- September 2022Requires improvementup from InadequateWell-led: Good
- May 2022Inadequatedown from Requires improvementSafe: InadequateEffective: Requires improvementResponsive: Requires improvementWell-led: Inadequate
- August 2021Requires improvementSafe: Requires improvementCaring: Requires improvementResponsive: Requires improvementWell-led: Requires improvement
- February 2021Inspected but not ratedSafe: Inspected but not rated
- March 2020Outstandingup from GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: OutstandingResponsive: OutstandingWell-led: Good
- May 2017Goodup from Requires improvementSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- February 2016Requires improvementSafe: Requires improvementEffective: GoodCaring: Requires improvementResponsive: Requires improvementWell-led: Requires improvement
- August 2014
Report published without a new overall rating.
- December 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- August 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- March 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- April 2012
Report published without a new overall rating.
- November 2010
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 26 November 2010.
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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44 live-in carers within about an hour of Swindon
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 £990 to £1,280 a week. 34 can care for a couple. 12 years' experience on average.
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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.