CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at Elm
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
- Safe?
- Good
- People were protected from abuse and avoidable harm. Risk assessments, staffing levels, safeguarding arrangements and medicine records were generally suitable, although one medicine storage temperature had not been checked.
- Effective?
- Good
- Staff had relevant training and understood people's complex needs. Care plans were up to date, people's dietary choices were supported, and healthcare needs were met.
- Caring?
- Good
- Staff treated people with kindness, dignity and respect. People were supported to express their views, make choices and maintain relationships.
- Responsive?
- Good
- Care plans reflected people's needs, preferences and routines. People were supported with individual activities, independence, family contact and complaints processes.
- Well-led?
- Good
- The home had an open and person-centred culture. Quality checks, feedback and action plans were used to monitor and improve care.
What inspectors found, April 2019
Elm was rated Good overall; inspectors found safe, kind and personalised care, with one medicines storage issue corrected during the inspection.
This was a planned inspection on 13 March 2019. One inspector reviewed records, spoke with people, a relative, staff and managers, and observed how care was provided.
All five areas were rated Good: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. Inspectors found enough staff, suitable recruitment checks, trained staff, personalised care plans and respectful support.
A small amount of medicine had been stored where the temperature was not checked. The manager checked it immediately, found the temperature was within guidance, moved the medicines and introduced new audits. The home had also been rated Good at the previous inspection in 2016.
Kind and respectful care
Inspectors observed staff speaking warmly and respectfully to people. Staff understood that the home was also people's own home.
“Our observations during inspection were that staff at all levels worked in a considerate and respectful way.” from the report
Personalised support
Care plans included people's needs, preferences and routines. People and relatives were involved in reviews and changes to support.
“People's care plans were detailed and contained information about specific needs, personal preferences, chosen routines and how staff should best support them.” from the report
Choice and independence
Staff supported people to make choices, take part in activities and build independence. One person was supported to move into independent living.
“People were supported to be as independent as they wished.” from the report
Skilled and supported staff
Staff received ongoing training, including specialist training for complex needs. Staff said they received regular supervision and support from management.
“We observed that staff were confident and knowledgeable about the support people needed, particularly those with complex needs.” from the report
Active quality checks
The management team used audits, spot checks, feedback and action plans to monitor care and make improvements.
“The registered manager had robust and detailed quality monitoring systems in place to continually review and improve the quality of the service provided.” from the report
Medicine storage temperature
minorA small amount of medicine was stored in an area where the temperature had not been checked. This was dealt with immediately, and the medicines were moved after the temperature was found to be within guidance.
“A small amount of medicines had been securely stored in an area where the temperature was not checked.” from the report
- 01How are medicine storage temperatures checked now, and how are the checks recorded?
- 02How will you make sure care plans continue to reflect changes in each person's needs, preferences and routines?
- 03What activities and opportunities for independence would be available for my relative?
- 04How would my relative and family be involved in reviewing the care plan?
- 05How can my relative raise a concern or complaint, and how would it be followed up?
This was a planned inspection covering the overall service and all five CQC areas, including the premises and care provided. This explanation was written from the published report of 12 April 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 Elm
2 rated inspections over 3 years: the service has held its Good rating throughout.
- April 2019Goodcurrent ratingstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- May 2016GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- August 2014Inspected but not rated
- July 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- September 2012
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 18 September 2012.
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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75 live-in carers within about an hour of Nottinghamshire
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 £1,260 a week. 63 can care for a couple. 10 years' experience on average.
“Ernest is an amazing professional carer who delivers care from the heart.”
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.