CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at Eastleigh Care Homes
Rated Outstanding: inspectors found the home performing exceptionally well.
- Safe?
- Good
- People were protected from avoidable harm. Inspectors found enough staff, suitable recruitment checks, recorded risk controls, safe medicines management and a clean home.
- Effective?
- Outstanding
- Inspectors found consistently better than expected outcomes. Staff used detailed care planning, dementia training, least restrictive approaches and strong links with health professionals.
- Caring?
- Good
- People were treated with dignity and respect and were involved in decisions about their daily lives and care. Staff were described as patient, kind and supportive.
- Responsive?
- Outstanding
- Care and activities were tailored closely to people's histories, interests, wishes and communication needs. The home had improved this area from Requires improvement at the previous inspection.
- Well-led?
- Good
- The home had an open culture, quality audits and ongoing learning. The manager was not yet registered with CQC at the inspection and was in the process of registering.
What inspectors found, August 2019
Rated Outstanding; inspectors found exceptionally effective and responsive care, with safe, kind and well-led care rated Good.
This was an unannounced planned inspection on 5 June 2019. Inspectors reviewed records and medicines, observed care, and spoke with people, relatives, visitors, staff and health professionals.
The home was providing personal care for 49 people aged 65 and over. Inspectors found enough staff, safe medicines systems, detailed care plans and good links with health services.
The strongest findings were about personalised care, activities, community links, dementia support and helping people stay active and independent. Effective and Responsive were rated Outstanding. Safe, Caring and Well-led were rated Good.
The overall rating improved from Good at the previous inspection. Responsive improved from Requires improvement to Outstanding after the home acted on earlier concerns about dementia care.
Personalised care
Care plans included people's routines, preferences, life stories and communication needs. Staff could describe people's wishes in detail.
“Care plans were highly detailed and paid attention to ensuring people's choices were fully considered as well as their needs.” from the report
Activities and community links
People had regular outings and activities based on their past interests. The home also developed links with a local school and used volunteers.
“The service had gone the extra mile to find out what people have done in the past” from the report
Dementia support
The home introduced enhanced dementia training, a dementia academy and creative ways to understand people's feelings and choices.
“They have even begun a dementia academy, which will include continuous learning in different formats and in line with best practice and guidance.” from the report
Health and independence
A physiotherapist helped people maintain mobility and independence. Staff worked closely with health and social care professionals.
“The service employed a physiotherapist to ensure people's needs were being met in line with best practice.” from the report
Food and drink
People were offered a wide choice of meals, drinks and snacks. Staff adapted food to preferences and monitored people's intake.
“People were given a wide choice of food, drinks and snacks of a high standard to help them maintain a good balanced diet.” from the report
Manager registration
minorThere was no manager registered with CQC when inspectors visited. The manager was in the process of registering, while the provider remained legally responsible.
“The service did not have a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission.” from the report
- 01Has the manager now completed registration with CQC, and who is legally responsible for the home today?
- 02How are staffing levels reviewed when people's needs change?
- 03How are medicines errors identified, recorded and learned from?
- 04How are each person's dementia needs, routines and communication preferences recorded and shared with new staff?
- 05How often are care plans reviewed with the person and their family?
This was an unannounced planned inspection covering all five key questions, including both the premises and the care provided. This explanation was written from the published report of 23 August 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, December 2016
Rated Good overall; inspectors found safe, kind care, but the home needed to improve how it responded to people with complex dementia needs.
This was an unannounced inspection over two days in October 2016. Inspectors spoke with people living at the home, relatives, staff and health professionals. They also observed care and checked care plans, medicines, staffing, recruitment and quality records.
The home was rated Good for Safe, Effective, Caring and Well-led. Inspectors found enough staff, safe medicines systems, suitable risk assessments, good food and healthcare support, and kind relationships between staff and residents. The home was clean and welcoming.
The home was rated Requires Improvement for Responsive. Inspectors saw some poor practice when staff supported people with complex dementia needs. This included a person being reprimanded for not eating and people appearing startled during an activity. The provider said further dementia training would be considered.
The home had improved since the previous inspection in March 2015. It had addressed earlier concerns about staffing at night, hoist slings, records about special diets and recording best interest decisions. A January 2016 focused inspection had also found medicines were being managed safely.
Safe staffing and medicines
Inspectors found enough staff with the right skills and found that medicines were given safely and on time.
“People received their medicines on time and in a safe way.” from the report
Clean, homely environment
The home was exceptionally clean and welcoming, with systems for checking the building, equipment and infection control.
“People were cared for in an exceptionally clean, hygienic environment and there were no unpleasant odours in the home.” from the report
Activities and community links
The home offered group and individual activities, entertainment, visits from community groups and trips into the local area.
“The service offered a comprehensive and responsive activities programme throughout the week.” from the report
Improvements since the last inspection
Earlier concerns about night staffing, hoist slings, special diet information and best interest records had been addressed or improved.
“At this inspection we found the service had made improvements in all four of the requirements we had set previously.” from the report
Dementia support
needs fixingSome staff responses to people with complex dementia needs were not sufficiently individual or reassuring. Inspectors saw poor practice during eating support and an activity.
“This included failing to keep people engaged when assisting people to eat and an activity where people appeared startled by a member of staff throwing a ball at them.” from the report
Further dementia training
needs fixingInspectors said some staff would benefit from more training in working with people with dementia. The provider said additional training would be considered.
“Some staff could benefit from further training in working with people with dementia.” from the report
Short-notice staffing gaps
minorStaffing was rated Good overall, but staff said there could be shortages when colleagues called in sick and shifts could not always be covered at short notice.
“We always have the right number rostered on but there are times, due to staff ringing in sick when we can be short.” from the report
Recording best interest decisions
minorInspectors found that consultation was taking place, but there was not yet a specific form to clearly record best interest decisions and meetings.
“There was no specific form for his, but it was clear from daily records the right people had been consulted.” from the report
- 01What dementia training have staff completed since this inspection, and how do you check that it has improved practice?
- 02How do staff support someone with dementia who does not want to eat or becomes distressed?
- 03How do you make sure activities are suitable and do not startle or upset residents?
- 04How are care shifts covered when staff are off sick at short notice?
- 05How are best interest decisions and family involvement recorded now?
This was an unannounced comprehensive inspection of all five key areas, following earlier concerns and a January 2016 focused medicines inspection. This explanation was written from the published report of 13 December 2016 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 Eastleigh Care Homes
3 rated inspections over 4 years: the service has improved, from Requires improvement to Outstanding.
- August 2019Outstandingcurrent ratingup from GoodSafe: GoodEffective: OutstandingCaring: GoodResponsive: OutstandingWell-led: Good
- December 2016GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: Requires improvementWell-led: Good
- April 2016Inspected but not ratedSafe: Good
- July 2015Requires improvementSafe: Requires improvementEffective: Requires improvementCaring: GoodResponsive: Requires improvementWell-led: Requires improvement
- February 2014
Report published without a new overall rating.
- October 2013
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 18 October 2013.
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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