CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at Elizabeth House
Rated Requires improvement: inspectors found the home was not performing as well as it should and told it what to change.
What inspectors found, March 2021
Inspected but not rated; inspectors found strong infection prevention and safe visiting arrangements.
Inspectors visited the home on 23 February 2021. This was an announced, targeted inspection during the coronavirus pandemic.
They looked at infection prevention and control. They found that the home was managing visitors, new admissions, protective equipment, testing, cleaning and possible outbreaks safely.
The home had a visiting pod, regular COVID-19 testing and daily temperature checks. Inspectors also found good training for staff and enough protective equipment.
The service was inspected but not rated. This report does not give an overall judgement on the quality of all care at the home.
Safe visiting
A visiting pod allowed relatives to visit regularly while reducing infection risks. The manager contacted relatives about the government visiting guidance.
“Relatives and people were very happy a pod was available to enable regular safe visiting.” from the report
Infection testing
Staff were tested three times a week and people monthly. Temperatures were also checked at least daily.
“Three times weekly COVID-19 tests were carried out for staff and monthly for people to identify any possible virus cases.” from the report
Protective equipment
The home had enough protective equipment for staff, visitors and people living there.
“There had always been adequate stocks of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for staff, visitors and people to use.” from the report
Clean environment
Inspectors found the environment clean, with regular cleaning and deep cleans to reduce infection transmission.
“The environment was clean. Robust cleaning regimes and deep cleans ensured the risk of infection transmission was reduced.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01Are the visiting arrangements and visiting pod still available?
- 02How often are staff and residents currently tested for COVID-19 or other infections?
- 03How do you manage new admissions to reduce the risk of infection entering the home?
- 04How often are shared areas cleaned and when are deep cleans carried out?
- 05What areas of care have been reviewed since this targeted inspection?
This was a targeted inspection of infection prevention and control during the coronavirus pandemic; the service was inspected but not rated and the report did not cover all areas of care. This explanation was written from the published report of 18 March 2021 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, March 2019
Rated Good in all five areas; inspectors found safe, kind and personalised care, with improvements since the previous inspection.
This was an unannounced, comprehensive inspection on 13 February 2019. The inspectors spoke with people living at the home, relatives, staff and a visiting health professional. They also reviewed care records, medicines records, complaints, staff files and quality checks.
The home was rated Good overall and Good for Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. Inspectors found enough staff, safe medicines management, clean surroundings, suitable training and care that respected people's choices, privacy and dignity.
People's care was personalised. Staff knew people's needs and preferences, supported activities and community links, and recorded end of life wishes. The home had systems for handling complaints, learning from incidents and checking the quality and safety of care.
The previous inspection in January 2018 rated the home Requires Improvement overall. This inspection found that improvements had been made, including a monitored staff training plan, regular staff support meetings and better management knowledge of best practice and legislation.
Staffing and safety
Inspectors found enough staff to meet people's needs promptly. Staff understood safeguarding and risk management, and recruitment checks were completed before people started work.
“People told us, and we saw enough staff were on duty to meet people's needs in a timely way.” from the report
Kind and respectful care
Staff knew people well and supported them with kindness, privacy and dignity. People were offered daily choices and encouraged to remain independent.
“Staff were caring and showed people kindness.” from the report
Personalised support
Care plans included people's life histories, preferences and needs. Staff supported activities, faith choices, family contact and community links.
“Care plans contained detailed information including people's life histories and achievements which supported staff to get to know people.” from the report
Food and healthcare
People enjoyed the food and had drinks offered during the day. Staff understood individual dietary needs and helped people access healthcare when needed.
“Staff, including the cook had a good understanding of people's nutritional needs.” from the report
Improved leadership
The home had introduced a monitored training plan and regular one-to-one meetings. Inspectors found that management systems supported quality and safety.
“Systems to monitor the quality and safety of the service were effective.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01How do you make sure staffing levels remain enough to meet people's needs promptly?
- 02How is staff training kept up to date, and how are staff supported through one-to-one meetings?
- 03How are my relative's risks, health needs, preferences and changing care needs recorded and reviewed?
- 04How would you record and follow my relative's wishes about end of life care?
- 05What improvements have been made since the February 2019 inspection, and what do your current quality checks show?
This was an unannounced comprehensive inspection covering the care provided and the premises, with all five CQC questions assessed. This explanation was written from the published report of 1 March 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 Elizabeth House
3 rated inspections over 3 years: the service has held its Good rating throughout.
- March 2021Inspected but not ratedcurrent ratingSafe: Inspected but not rated
- March 2019Goodup from Requires improvementSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- February 2018Requires improvementdown from GoodSafe: GoodEffective: Requires improvementCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Requires improvement
- November 2015GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- September 2014
Report published without a new overall rating.
- April 2014
Report published without a new overall rating.
- November 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- July 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- February 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- May 2012
Report published without a new overall rating.
- January 2011
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 13 January 2011.
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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What to check when you visit
At least 100 live-in carers within about an hour of Solihull
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 £980 to £1,250 a week. 78 can care for a couple. 9 years' experience on average.
“If you bump into her in the night on her way to the bathroom she will still inquire how you are and if everything is alright.”
“I have never met a person who is so kind and thinks about others before himself to such an extent as Chris Malagala.”
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.