CQC report explained · a nursing home
What the CQC found at Elsyng House Care Home
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
- Safe?
- Requires improvement
- Inspectors found concerns with medicines stock records, administration timings, missed medicines and missing protocols for three people's medicines given when needed. They also found strong risk assessments, safe recruitment, good infection control and enough staff.
- Effective?
- Good
- People's needs were assessed before moving in and staff were trained and supported. People had food choices, timely access to healthcare and care that followed mental capacity requirements.
- Caring?
- Good
- People and relatives described staff as kind, attentive and respectful. People were involved in planning their care and encouraged to remain as independent as possible.
- Responsive?
- Good
- Care plans were personalised and reviewed monthly. The home offered varied activities, supported people's communication and faith needs, and had a complaints process that people understood.
- Well-led?
- Good
- Inspectors found visible management, teamwork, feedback systems and audits to monitor care. The manager responded promptly to the medicines concerns found during the inspection.
What inspectors found, August 2023
Rated Good overall; inspectors found kind, person-centred care, but medicines management required improvement.
This was the home’s first inspection. Inspectors visited on 16 and 17 March 2023. The inspection was unannounced and included checks of care, records, medicines, staffing, training, cleanliness and management. They spoke with people, relatives, staff and a healthcare professional.
The home was rated Good overall. Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led were all rated Good. Inspectors found enough staff, kind and respectful care, good activities, clean surroundings, personalised care plans and strong involvement of people and relatives.
Safe was rated Requires Improvement. Inspectors found problems with the electronic medicines system, including stock records not matching actual medicines, missing administration timing information, missed medicines and three people without guidance for medicines given when needed. The provider took prompt action after the inspection and sent evidence of improvements.
Kind and respectful care
People and relatives consistently praised staff for being kind, attentive and respectful. Inspectors also observed genuinely kind interactions.
“We observed genuinely kind interactions between people and staff throughout the inspection.” from the report
Personalised involvement
People and relatives were involved in care planning. Care plans gave staff clear information about people's needs, wishes and preferences.
“People and relatives were treated as partners in their care and fully involved in planning care.” from the report
Activities and social life
The home offered activities inside and outside the home, including trips, entertainment and activities adapted for people who stayed in their rooms.
“The home had a dedicated activities team and there was a wide range of activities available for people to take part in if they wished.” from the report
Clean and well-maintained home
Inspectors found high standards of cleanliness and up-to-date checks of the building and equipment. Visiting was unrestricted.
“The home was clean and smelled fresh at the time of inspection.” from the report
Staffing and training
Inspectors found enough staff to meet people's needs. Recruitment checks, induction, training, supervision and appraisals were in place.
“There were enough staff to ensure people's care and support needs were met.” from the report
Medicines records and missed medicines
seriousThe electronic medicines system did not always match the stock held. Inspectors also found missed medicines and missing information about when some medicines should be given.
“There were numerous incidents where numbers of tablets on the electronic system did not always match the number of actual medicines in stock.” from the report
Missing guidance for some medicines
seriousThree people did not have protocols explaining when staff should give their medicines when needed. The home updated these protocols after the inspection.
“However, we found 3 people did not have protocols for when to administer 'when required' (PRN) medicines.” from the report
Minor assessment inconsistencies
minorInspectors found some minor inconsistencies in the scoring used to assess nutrition and skin integrity. The deputy manager said these would be reviewed.
“We found there were some minor inconsistencies when using scoring systems to assess nutrition and skin integrity.” from the report
- 01What changes have been made to the electronic medicines system since the inspection?
- 02How do you now check that medicines stock records match the medicines held?
- 03How are missed medicines identified, investigated and prevented from happening again?
- 04Do all residents who have medicines given when needed now have clear protocols for when staff should give them?
- 05How are nutrition and skin integrity assessments checked for consistency?
This was an unannounced inspection covering all five CQC questions, including infection prevention and control, with a visit to the home on 16 and 17 March 2023. This explanation was written from the published report of 25 August 2023 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 Elsyng House Care Home
Each visit the CQC has published, newest first, back to the day the home was registered.
- August 2023Goodcurrent ratingSafe: Requires improvementEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- February 2021
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 10 February 2021.
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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At least 100 live-in carers within about an hour of Enfield
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. 79 can care for a couple. 11 years' experience on average.
“Over the time he spent with them he got to know our parents very well and became like part of the family, even joining in family celebrations.”
“Charity would take Nan on holidays day trips and shopping adventures”
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.