CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at Elwick Grange
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
What inspectors found, June 2023
Elwick Grange was rated Good; inspectors found safe care and strong management, but identified a safeguarding concern during the visit.
This was an unannounced focused inspection on 5 and 12 June 2023. An inspector and an Expert by Experience spoke with five people, four relatives and nine staff. They also reviewed documents about safety and management.
The home was rated Good overall. Safe and Well-led were both rated Good. Inspectors found that people were protected from abuse, risks were assessed, medicines were managed safely and there were enough staff. They also found effective checks on the quality of the home and an open management culture.
The inspection did not review Effective, Caring or Responsive. Those ratings were carried forward from the previous inspection, published in February 2018. The report says the overall rating remained Good.
Safety systems
The home had systems to protect people from abuse and harm. Risks, accidents and safeguarding concerns were recorded, reviewed and used to improve care.
“Information from safeguarding, accidents and incidents were analysed and where necessary, changes were made to reduce the impact on people.” from the report
Medicines and staffing
Inspectors found medicines were managed safely and there were enough staff to meet people's needs. Recruitment checks had also been completed.
“Medicines were managed safely. The provider followed safe protocols for the receipt, storage, administration and disposal of medicines.” from the report
Management and quality checks
The home had broad systems for checking quality and meeting its legal responsibilities. Inspectors found the culture was open and transparent.
“The provider had a comprehensive range of quality assurance systems. These were effective in monitoring the quality of the home.” from the report
Activities and partnerships
Staff supported people to keep community links, develop interests and try new experiences. The home also worked with health and social care professionals.
“The home worked closely with health and social care professionals to ensure people received joined up care.” from the report
Safeguarding concern during inspection
needs fixingInspectors identified a safeguarding concern during the visit. The manager took immediate action, investigated it and shared learning with staff, but families should ask what happened and what changed afterwards.
“A safeguarding concern was identified during inspection, the registered manager immediately took action to reduce the risks posed and conducted an investigation with learning points shared with staff.” from the report
- 01What was the safeguarding concern found during the inspection, and what action was taken to prevent it happening again?
- 02How do you check that learning from accidents, incidents and safeguarding concerns has been put into practice?
- 03How are staffing levels reviewed when people's needs change or the home is busy?
- 04What are the current ratings for Effective, Caring and Responsive, which were not inspected in this visit?
- 05How do people and relatives see what actions have been taken after giving feedback?
This was a focused inspection of Safe and Well-led only; the Effective, Caring and Responsive ratings were carried forward from the previous inspection published in February 2018. This explanation was written from the published report of 28 June 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.
What inspectors found, February 2018
Elwick Grange was rated Good; inspectors found safe, caring and well-organised care across all five areas.
The inspection took place without warning on 18 December 2017, followed by an announced visit on 20 December. Inspectors spoke with people living in the home, relatives and staff. They reviewed care records, medicines records, staff files and the building.
The home was supporting 58 people, including some people living with dementia. Inspectors found enough staff, safe medicines management, suitable risk assessments and good infection control. People were supported with food, drink, healthcare, activities and everyday choices.
Inspectors found staff to be kind, respectful and familiar with people's needs. Care plans were detailed, complaints were handled appropriately and quality checks were in place. All five areas were rated Good, and the home remained Good since the previous inspection in October 2015.
Safe medicines and staffing
Inspectors found medicines records accurate and medicines securely stored. Staffing levels were reviewed when people's needs changed, including the planned addition of a night worker.
“Medicines were managed safely and effectively. Medicines records we viewed had been completed accurately.” from the report
Kind and respectful staff
People and relatives spoke positively about staff. Inspectors saw friendly, respectful interactions and found that staff understood how people wanted to be supported.
“Staff were caring and respectful and people were comfortable in the presence of staff.” from the report
Personalised care
Care plans described people's needs, preferences and independence. Relatives were invited to care reviews where people could not fully take part themselves.
“Care plans were detailed and personalised. They contained clear information about the person's level of independence as well as details of areas where support from staff was required.” from the report
Activities and individual interests
The home offered group and one-to-one activities, entertainment and outings. Activities could be changed for people living with dementia.
“Activities included, armchair exercises, singalongs, quizzes, dominoes, bingo, musical reminiscence, arts and crafts and pampering.” from the report
Improvements since the last inspection
The previous inspection found annual appraisals were not up to date. This inspection found they had been brought up to date, with development needs identified.
“During this inspection we noted improvements in this area as records showed, and staff confirmed, that appraisals were up to date.” from the report
Active quality checks
The home used regular audits and a service improvement plan. Inspectors found actions were completed or being addressed.
“Audits were completed regularly and were up to date when we visited for areas such as medicines, care documents, infection control and health and safety.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01How is the extra night staff member working in practice, and how do you review staffing when people's needs change?
- 02Have all residents' life stories now been completed, and how are they used to guide day-to-day care?
- 03Was internet access introduced in early 2018, and how is it helping people with communication needs?
- 04How are relatives involved in reviewing care plans when a person cannot fully communicate their needs?
- 05How are people's end-of-life wishes recorded and kept up to date?
This was a comprehensive inspection covering all five key questions, with an unannounced visit on 18 December 2017 and an announced follow-up visit on 20 December 2017. This explanation was written from the published report of 7 February 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 Elwick Grange
3 rated inspections over 8 years: the service has held its Good rating throughout.
- June 2023Goodcurrent ratingstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- February 2018Goodstayed GoodSafe: GoodWell-led: Good
- December 2015GoodSafe: GoodEffective: Requires improvementCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- September 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- November 2012
Report published without a new overall rating.
- May 2012
Report published without a new overall rating.
- October 2011
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 19 October 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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43 live-in carers within about an hour of Hartlepool
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 £970 to £1,120 a week. 40 can care for a couple. 10 years' experience on average.
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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.