CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at Elston House
Rated Outstanding: inspectors found the home performing exceptionally well.
- Safe?
- Good
- Inspectors were assured that the home was preventing and managing infection risks. They found effective arrangements for testing, PPE, visitors, social distancing, cleaning and infection outbreaks.
- Effective?
- Good
- Does the care work? Training, consent, food and drink, working with GPs and nurses.
- Caring?
- Good
- Are people treated with kindness and dignity?
- Responsive?
- Outstanding
- Is care built around the person? Care plans, activities, complaints.
- Well-led?
- Outstanding
- Is the home run well? The manager, the culture, how problems get found and fixed.
What inspectors found, November 2020
Rated Outstanding overall; inspectors were assured that infection control measures were keeping people safe, although Safe was not rated.
This was an unannounced, targeted inspection on 4 November 2020. Inspectors were checking infection prevention and control after receiving information of concern.
They found that the home was using testing, protective equipment, cleaning and social distancing measures. Visitors were screened and visiting arrangements were reviewed regularly.
The home had individual plans to help people keep in contact with family. Inspectors also found that relatives were regularly updated about testing and safety measures.
The overall service rating was Outstanding. Safe was inspected but not rated, so this visit does not provide a new rating for that question.
Testing
The home found ways to test all eight people and tested staff regularly.
“The service had successfully found ways to safely support all eight people to be tested for Covid-19.” from the report
Visitor safety
Visitors had to follow safety checks and use hand sanitiser and PPE.
“Visiting arrangements were controlled and regularly reviewed.” from the report
Family contact
Each person had a plan to support safe social contact, and relatives received regular updates.
“People had individual visitor/family contact plans as part of their care plan to make sure their social contact needs continued to be met as far as safely possible.” from the report
Protective equipment
Staff used PPE correctly, with a designated area for putting it on and taking it off. Used PPE was disposed of safely.
“Staff wore the necessary PPE, in line with best practice guidance, and had a designated area for putting it on and taking it off.” from the report
Deep cleaning still being improved
minorThe home was further developing its deep-cleaning arrangements to reduce the possible spread of Covid-19. Inspectors did not say this had caused harm.
“the provider was in the process of further enhancing their deep cleaning arrangements” from the report
- 01How have your infection prevention and control arrangements changed since the November 2020 inspection?
- 02How do you currently manage testing for people living here and for staff?
- 03How are visits managed now, including PPE, screening and contact with relatives?
- 04How do you make sure each person's family contact plan remains current?
- 05What deep-cleaning arrangements are now in place?
This was a targeted inspection of infection prevention and control, and Safe was inspected but not rated; the overall Outstanding rating was not reassessed in this visit. This explanation was written from the published report of 13 November 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, July 2018
Rated Outstanding; inspectors found safe, kind and highly personalised care, with strong leadership and support for independence.
This was an unannounced inspection on 14 May 2018. Inspectors reviewed care records, medicines records, staff recruitment and training records, maintenance records and quality checks. They spoke with people living at the home, relatives, staff and health and social care professionals.
The home was rated Good for Safe, Effective and Caring. Inspectors found robust safeguarding arrangements, safe medicines systems, enough trained staff, good support with health and nutrition, and kind care that respected people's privacy, choices and relationships.
The home was rated Outstanding for Responsive and Well-led. Inspectors found care that was tailored to each person, strong support for communication and independence, a wide range of activities, and quality systems that were used to improve care. The overall rating was Outstanding.
Personalised communication
Staff understood how each person communicated, including through signs, sounds, pictures and body language. This helped people express views and make choices.
“People received excellent support to express their views and make decisions about their care at the service.” from the report
Personalised lives
People were supported to take part in activities they enjoyed and to build independence. Inspectors saw examples of improved behaviour, community involvement and volunteering.
“People were supported to lead fulfilling lives and staff worked continuously to support people achieve their full potential.” from the report
Health support
Staff worked closely with health professionals and adapted support for appointments, treatment and health needs. This helped some people experience less distress.
“People's health needs were extremely well managed by staff who worked to ensure there were well-developed links with external health professionals” from the report
Strong leadership
The management team had a clear focus on person-centred care, independence and family involvement. Quality checks were used to identify and make improvements.
“There was exceptional, strong and clear leadership at the service.” from the report
Recent staff shortages
minorA staff member said the home had recently been short of staff. Inspectors found that shifts had been covered and staffing levels remained safe, but families should ask how this is managed now.
“One member of staff told us although there were a number of staff who had worked at the service for a number of years, they had recently been short of staff.” from the report
- 01How do you currently make sure there are enough familiar staff on every shift, particularly when there are vacancies or sickness?
- 02How often are each person's communication methods, risk assessments and care plans reviewed?
- 03What checks are now used to make sure medicines are stored, given and recorded safely?
- 04How would you support my relative with hospital or medical appointments if they became anxious or distressed?
- 05What activities and independence goals would you offer my relative, and how would their choices be recorded?
This was an unannounced comprehensive inspection that looked at the premises and care and assessed all five CQC questions. This explanation was written from the published report of 24 July 2018 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 Elston House
2 rated inspections over 2 years: the service has held its Outstanding rating throughout.
- November 2020Outstandingcurrent ratingstayed OutstandingSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: OutstandingWell-led: Outstanding
- July 2018Outstanding
- June 2015
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 16 June 2015.
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.