CQC report explained · a nursing home
What the CQC found at Eastholme Care Home
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
- Safe?
- Good
- People were protected from abuse and avoidable harm, and staff assessed and managed risks. Medicines were generally given as they should be, but minor improvements were needed in temperature recording and some medicines signatures.
- Effective?
- Good
- This question was not inspected during this focused inspection. Its rating was carried forward from the previous inspection.
- Caring?
- Good
- This question was not inspected during this focused inspection. Its rating was carried forward from the previous inspection.
- Responsive?
- Good
- This question was not inspected during this focused inspection. Its rating was carried forward from the previous inspection.
- Well-led?
- Good
- Managers had effective systems for checking quality and safety. People, relatives, staff and community professionals gave positive feedback about the management and culture of the home.
What inspectors found, November 2023
Rated Good; inspectors found safe, caring management, with minor improvements still needed in medicines records and storage.
This was an unannounced focused inspection on 15 and 16 November 2023. Inspectors reviewed the information held about the home, spoke with people, relatives, staff and community professionals, and checked care records, medicines records, training, recruitment files, policies and audits.
The home was rated Good for Safe and Well-led. People told inspectors they felt safe, received their medicines as needed, and could get help when they needed it. The home was clean, staff followed infection control practices, and recruitment and safeguarding arrangements were suitable.
Inspectors found a positive culture and regular checks by managers. Staff knew people well, understood their responsibilities and were supported. Minor improvements were needed in medicines management, including recording temperatures and ensuring two staff signed some handwritten medicines records.
This inspection only assessed Safe and Well-led. The ratings for the other three questions were carried forward from the previous inspection. The overall rating remained Good, and the Safe rating improved from Requires Improvement at the last inspection.
People felt safe
People and relatives told inspectors that staff provided safe care. The home had arrangements to respond to safeguarding concerns and learn from incidents.
“I feel safe all the time and everything they do is to make me feel comfortable.” from the report
Enough suitable staff
Inspectors found enough staff to meet people's needs. Recruitment checks were completed before staff started work.
“Yes, there are enough staff. I never have to wait.” from the report
Clean and safe environment
The home was clean and staff used safe infection prevention and control practices. People and relatives said staff used appropriate protective equipment.
“The service was clean, and we observed staff demonstrating safe IPC practices during our visits.” from the report
Positive management culture
The culture focused on individualised care and supporting a good quality of life. Staff said they felt supported and could raise concerns.
“The culture at the service focused on providing people with high quality, individualised care which resulted in a good quality of life.” from the report
Regular quality checks
Managers completed regular audits and checks to monitor care, safety and improvements. Staff training and competence were also reviewed.
“Audits and checks were completed regularly to ensure appropriate standards of quality and safety were maintained.” from the report
Medicines records and storage
needs fixingMinor improvements were needed so medicines procedures followed national guidance. The temperature records for the medicines room and fridge needed improvement, and some handwritten medicines records did not have two staff signatures.
“Some further minor improvements were needed to ensure processes reflected National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidance.” from the report
- 01Have you completed the improvements to temperature recording for the medicines room and fridge?
- 02How do you make sure two staff sign handwritten medicines administration records when required?
- 03What were the current ratings for Effective, Caring and Responsive at the last comprehensive inspection?
- 04How do you check that staff continue to have the training and competence needed to support people safely?
- 05How are people and relatives involved in suggesting improvements to the home?
This was a focused inspection of Safe and Well-led only; the ratings for Effective, Caring and Responsive were carried forward from the previous inspection. This explanation was written from the published report of 28 November 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, January 2018
Rated Good overall; inspectors found kind, person-centred care, but medicines management required improvement.
The inspection was unannounced and took place on 15 November 2017. Inspectors spoke with people living at the home, relatives, managers and staff. They looked at care plans, medicines, training records, audits and other records.
The home was rated Good overall. Effective, caring, responsive and well-led were all rated Good. Safe was rated Requires Improvement because medicine records and guidance were not always complete.
People told inspectors they felt safe and well cared for. Staff were kind and respectful, care was personalised, activities were available, and relatives were welcomed. The home was clean, and the environment had been refurbished in places.
The overall rating remained Good, matching the rating at the previous inspection in September 2017. However, the report identified risks in medicine recording that the provider needed to address.
Kind and respectful care
People and relatives said staff were kind, helpful and caring. Inspectors saw staff supporting people gently and respecting their wishes.
“We observed staff were kind and gentle when providing care to people.” from the report
Personalised support
Care records described people's preferences, communication needs and the support they required. People were encouraged to make choices and remain as independent as possible.
“People were encouraged to remain as independent as possible and care plans detailed what elements of care people were able to either complete or assist with.” from the report
Activities and family contact
The home provided activities during the week, with some events at weekends and in the evenings. Relatives felt welcome and people were supported to maintain important relationships.
“Activities were provided on a daily basis during the week.” from the report
Open management
People, relatives and staff said the management team was approachable. The provider used audits and action plans to identify and address issues.
“Where issues had been identified by the provider's quality checking system we saw action plans had been put in place in order to make improvements.” from the report
Clean environment
Inspectors found the home clean and hygienic. Refurbishment had also taken place since the previous inspection.
“The environment was clean and refurbishment had taken place since our last inspection.” from the report
Incomplete medicine records
seriousGuidance was missing for some variable-dose and as-required medicines. Allergies were not recorded consistently, and staff signature sheets were incomplete. Inspectors said this created risks around the medicines people received and who administered them.
“Systems were not always in place for the safe management of medicines.” from the report
Staffing concerns raised by a relative
needs fixingA relative felt staffing was not always enough when people needed extra support, such as when distressed. Inspectors observed people being responded to promptly and staff said staffing was sufficient.
“I don't feel the staffing ratios are always sufficient to meet everyone's needs.” from the report
Food quality had changed
minorPeople said the food varied in quality after the home moved to a cook-chill arrangement. People were offered choices and alternatives, and their nutritional needs were assessed.
“The food is not as good as it used to be.” from the report
People did not know their care plans
needs fixingAlthough relatives said they had been involved in developing and reviewing care plans, the people spoken with said they were not aware of them.
“However the people we spoke with told us they were not aware of their care plans.” from the report
- 01What changes have been made to medicine records since the inspection, especially for variable-dose and as-required medicines?
- 02How are allergies checked and recorded on medicine administration records?
- 03How do you identify and cover times when people need extra support or staff are unavailable?
- 04How are residents involved in reading, agreeing and reviewing their care plans?
- 05What feedback have residents given about the cook-chill meals, and what improvements have been made?
This was an unannounced inspection of the overall service, covering all five CQC questions, the premises and the care provided. This explanation was written from the published report of 5 January 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 Eastholme Care Home
3 rated inspections over 8 years: the service has held its Good rating throughout.
- November 2023Goodcurrent ratingstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- January 2018Goodstayed GoodSafe: Requires improvementWell-led: Good
- November 2015GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- July 2014
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 25 July 2014.
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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9 live-in carers within about an hour of Lincolnshire
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.
8 can care for a couple. 10 years' experience on average.
“Martin was more than a carer, he managed the home and became my uncle's best friend, enriching his life during his last few years.”
“Magda was always positive and proactive about trying new things to keep dad busy. She also introduced new ideas for keeping dad healthy.”
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.