CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at Eleighwater House
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
What inspectors found, December 2019
Rated Good; inspectors found safe, kind and personalised care, with clearer fire risk controls and as-needed medicines guidance still needed.
This was a planned, unannounced inspection on 27 November 2019. One inspector spoke with four people and three staff, and reviewed care records, medicines records, recruitment files, supervision records and health and safety checks.
The home was rated Good in all five areas: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. People said they felt safe, relaxed and well cared for. Inspectors found enough staff, suitable care plans, kind interactions, support with food and healthcare, and a welcoming approach to families and visitors.
There were two areas where the home needed to improve its records and guidance. Fire risk controls did not always say clearly how often checks and training should happen. There were also no written protocols explaining when some as-needed medicines should be given, although staff knew people well and people could ask for them.
The home had recently changed legal entity and increased its capacity from five to eight people. This was the first inspection since registration under the current legal entity. The previous rating was Good, published in March 2018.
People felt safe
People told inspectors they felt safe and comfortable. Inspectors also observed relaxed and positive relationships between people and staff.
“People felt safe and well cared for at the home.” from the report
Personalised care
Care plans included people's preferences and needs, and staff followed them in practice. Support was adapted as people's needs changed.
“Care plans were comprehensive and gave staff all the information they needed to provide personalised care to people.” from the report
Kind and respectful staff
Staff treated people as individuals and respected their privacy, dignity, beliefs and lifestyle choices.
“People were well treated by staff who respected them as individuals.” from the report
Family contact and activities
Visitors were made welcome, and people could take part in activities or continue with their own hobbies.
“People's family and friends were welcomed into the home which helped them to maintain their relationships.” from the report
Visible management
The manager worked in the home, spoke with people regularly and used feedback to make improvements.
“The registered manager worked alongside other staff to constantly monitor standards and listen to people's views.” from the report
Fire safety controls needed more detail
needs fixingThe fire risk assessment said staff should receive training and equipment should be tested, but it did not clearly state how often this should happen. The manager said this would be addressed.
“We noted that control measures outlined in the risk assessments were not always clear.” from the report
As-needed medicines guidance
needs fixingSome as-needed medicines, such as pain relief, did not have written protocols explaining when staff should give them. Inspectors said staff knew people well and people could ask for these medicines.
“There were no protocols in place to tell staff when these medicines should be administered.” from the report
- 01What written guidance is now in place for giving as-needed medicines, such as pain relief?
- 02How often are fire detection systems tested, and how is staff fire safety training recorded?
- 03What changed when the home increased its capacity from five to eight people?
- 04How does the deputy manager support oversight of care and safety when the registered manager is not available?
- 05How are people's changing needs reflected in their care plans?
This was an unannounced inspection covering the premises and care provided, with all five key questions rated Good; it was the first inspection since registration under the current legal entity. This explanation was written from the published report of 18 December 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 Eleighwater House
Each visit the CQC has published, newest first, back to the day the home was registered.
- December 2019Goodcurrent ratingSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- December 2018
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 6 December 2018.
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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76 live-in carers within about two hours of Somerset
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 £1,020 to £1,370 a week. 62 can care for a couple. 12 years' experience on average.
“She looked after my mum, who can be incredibly challenging, so well and so gently, and we always felt confident that my mum was getting the best care available.”
“She was not phased by anything, she was adaptable, kind & gave us complete confidence to go away & not worry about a thing!”
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.