CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at Eden Cottage
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
- Safe?
- Good
- Risk assessments, safeguarding arrangements, staffing levels and medicines management were found to be effective. Portable appliance testing was slightly out of date at the inspection, although a date had been arranged for it to be completed.
- Effective?
- Good
- People had assessments, trained staff, support with food and healthcare, and access to appropriate equipment and services. One person was given medicine in soft food without a recorded discussion showing this was in their best interests.
- Caring?
- Good
- People and professionals described staff as kind and caring. Inspectors saw staff respecting privacy, offering choices and supporting people's independence.
- Responsive?
- Good
- Care plans were personalised and updated when needs changed. People were supported with communication, relationships, hobbies, community activities and complaints.
- Well-led?
- Good
- Inspectors found positive management, clear staff roles, regular audits and a commitment to improvement. The home worked positively with health professionals and other organisations.
What inspectors found, February 2020
Eden Cottage was rated Good in all five areas; inspectors found safe, kind and person-centred care, with a few records and checks to improve.
This was a planned inspection on 28 January 2020. One inspector spoke with two people, a health professional, managers and staff. They reviewed care, medicines, recruitment and management records, and observed care and interactions.
The three people living in the home were supported to be safe, make choices and build independence. Inspectors found enough staff, safe medicines systems, personalised care plans, kind staff and good access to activities and healthcare.
There were a few areas needing attention. Portable appliance testing was slightly out of date, one medicines decision did not have a recorded best-interest discussion, and end-of-life wishes were still being explored. All five ratings remained Good, the same as at the previous inspection published in June 2017.
People felt safe
People said they were happy and felt safe. Inspectors found clear risk assessments, safeguarding systems and enough staff to meet people's needs.
“People told us they were happy, felt safe.” from the report
Support for independence
Staff helped people make choices, learn life skills and take part in activities. The support was aimed at inclusion and greater independence.
“People's support focused on them having as many opportunities as possible for them to gain new skills and become more independent.” from the report
Kind and respectful care
People and professionals described staff as kind and caring. Inspectors observed staff protecting privacy and respecting people's choices.
“People and professionals told us staff were kind and caring.” from the report
Personalised support
Care plans reflected people's preferences and changing needs. People were supported to access the community and maintain relationships.
“Care plans were personalised and updated in response to people's changing needs.” from the report
Good management checks
Managers carried out regular checks on care records, medicines, staff records, health and safety and infection control.
“Regular areas audited included; care files, staff records, medicines, health and safety and infection control.” from the report
Safety check was overdue
needs fixingPortable appliance testing was slightly out of date when inspectors visited. The manager said a date had been arranged for the following week.
“However, Portable appliance testing was slightly out of date.” from the report
End-of-life wishes
minorThe home had started exploring people's end-of-life wishes, but the manager said this was an area for greater focus in future.
“People's end of life wishes had started to be explored by the service.” from the report
- 01Has the portable appliance testing been completed, and how are future safety checks tracked?
- 02How was the medicines decision in soft food discussed with the person and relatives, and where is the best-interest decision recorded?
- 03How will you record and review each person's end-of-life wishes?
- 04What has been done to understand and address the reported high staff turnover?
- 05How will you continue to support people to build independence and access community activities?
This was a planned inspection covering all five CQC questions, and each rating remained Good from the previous inspection. This explanation was written from the published report of 19 February 2020 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, June 2017
Eden Cottage was rated Good; inspectors found kind, safe and personalised care, with some care records and safety checks needing improvement.
This was an unannounced comprehensive inspection on 12 June 2017. Inspectors spoke with people using the home, staff and visiting professionals. They looked at care records, medicines, staffing, training, safety checks, complaints and how the home was managed.
The home was rated Good in all five areas: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. People appeared happy and relaxed. Staff knew people well, supported their choices and helped them take part in activities and daily life.
There had been three breaches at the previous inspection in May 2016. These related to consent, person-centred care and good governance. Inspectors found that the required improvements had been made. However, some recent changes were still not recorded in care plans, and two fire safety checks had been overlooked.
Kind and respectful staff
Inspectors saw warm and caring interactions. Staff knew people well and supported their privacy, dignity and preferred ways of communicating.
“Staff spoke with people, and each other, with kindness, respect and patience.” from the report
Personalised support
People had choices about daily life, meals, clothing and activities. Staff supported people to build independence and work towards personal goals.
“Staff encouraged and supported people in a sensitive way to be as independent as possible.” from the report
Safe medicines and staffing
Medicines were stored and recorded safely. Inspectors found enough staff to meet people's needs, including support for activities and unexpected staffing gaps.
“There were enough staff on duty to meet people's needs and keep them safe.” from the report
Improvement since the last inspection
The three previous regulatory breaches had been addressed. Mental capacity records, fluid monitoring and governance arrangements had improved.
“We found the breaches in the regulations had been met.” from the report
Open management
People, relatives and staff were asked for their views. The manager was described as approachable, and audits were used to identify and address shortfalls.
“There was a culture of openness within Eden Cottage which allowed people, relatives and staff to suggest new ideas which were often acted on.” from the report
Some care plans were out of date
needs fixingA couple of recent changes to people's care had not been recorded. One plan still mentioned a choking risk and covert medicines when these no longer applied, although staff knew the correct arrangements.
“However in one care plan some aspects of the persons care had not been updated.” from the report
Overdue fire safety checks
needs fixingThe fire door safety check and fire extinguisher check were overdue when inspectors visited. The manager took action to correct this and prevent it happening again.
“We found that the fire door safety check and the fire extinguisher check were overdue.” from the report
- 01How do you make sure care plans are updated immediately when someone's needs or treatment changes?
- 02Have all fire door and fire extinguisher checks been completed, and how are future checks tracked?
- 03What was the outcome of the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards applications that had not yet been granted at the inspection?
- 04How are people supported to choose their activities and take part in the local community?
- 05How are staff trained and checked before they give medicines, including medicines given on an as-needed basis?
This was an unannounced comprehensive inspection covering all five CQC questions and checking improvements required after the previous inspection. This explanation was written from the published report of 29 June 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 Eden Cottage
4 rated inspections over 5 years: the service has improved, from Requires improvement to Good.
- February 2020Goodcurrent ratingstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- June 2017Goodup from Requires improvementSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- June 2016Requires improvementstayed Requires improvementSafe: GoodEffective: Requires improvementCaring: GoodResponsive: Requires improvementWell-led: Requires improvement
- April 2015Requires improvementSafe: Requires improvementEffective: Requires improvementCaring: Requires improvementResponsive: Requires improvementWell-led: Requires improvement
- November 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- March 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- December 2010
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 10 December 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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