CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at Ernelesthorp Manor & Lodge
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
- Safe?
- Good
- People were protected from abuse and avoidable harm, with risk assessments, safety checks, enough staff and safe medicines systems. Minor issues included incomplete medicine records and improvements needed around mealtimes and infection control monitoring.
- Effective?
- Good
- This key question was not inspected during this focused inspection.
- Caring?
- Good
- This key question was not inspected during this focused inspection.
- Responsive?
- Good
- This key question was not inspected during this focused inspection.
- Well-led?
- Good
- The management team was visible and open. The home had audits, action plans, contingency plans and ways to gather people's views.
What inspectors found, February 2023
Rated Good overall; inspectors found people were safe and the home was well-led, with minor issues in mealtime support and records.
This was an unannounced focused inspection. Inspectors visited on 19 January 2023 and reviewed information until 2 February 2023. They spoke with people, relatives and staff, and checked care, medicine, staffing and management records.
The home was rated Good for Safe and Well-led. People said they felt safe, there were enough staff, medicines were given as prescribed, and staff understood safeguarding and infection control. Managers were visible, listened to people and used audits and action plans to improve the service.
Inspectors found some minor problems. Mealtime staffing was not always effective, some medicine records were incomplete, and some infection control and other documentation needed improvement. The manager took action during or after the inspection.
The overall Good rating included ratings from areas not inspected at this visit. Those other ratings were carried over from the previous comprehensive inspection.
People felt safe
People and relatives told inspectors that people were safe. Staff knew how to recognise and report abuse.
“People told us they felt safe and knew who to report concerns to.” from the report
Enough staff
Inspectors found staffing levels met the home's dependency tool requirements. Recruitment checks had been completed before staff started.
“There were enough staff available to ensure the safety of people.” from the report
Medicines given safely
People received medicines as prescribed. Staff had medicine training and were assessed as competent.
“We checked medication administration records and found people received their medicines as prescribed.” from the report
Visible management
Managers worked alongside staff, listened to people and used audits and action plans to improve the service.
“The management team demonstrated an open and transparent leadership style.” from the report
Mealtime support
needs fixingStaff were not always deployed effectively during mealtimes. The manager carried out audits and made changes after the visit.
“However, this was not always the case during the mealtime.” from the report
Medicine records
minorSome medicine receipts and carried-over amounts were not recorded. The manager amended the documentation.
“However, we found some minor documentation issues, receipt if medicines and carried over amounts were not always recorded.” from the report
Documentation standards
minorSome documentation needed improvement so that standards were maintained. The manager sent inspectors details of actions taken.
“We identified some documentation that could be improved to ensure standards were maintained.” from the report
- 01What changes have been made to staffing and support during mealtimes, and how are these checked now?
- 02How do you check that medicine receipts and carried-over amounts are recorded every time?
- 03What infection control issues were found during the visit, and how do you make sure they are identified promptly?
- 04Which quality audits and action plans are currently in place, and can you explain what has improved since this inspection?
- 05Which ratings were carried over from the previous inspection because they were not assessed this time?
This was a focused inspection of Safe and Well-led only; the other ratings used in the overall rating were carried over from the last comprehensive inspection. This explanation was written from the published report of 10 February 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, November 2019
Ernelesthorp Manor & Lodge is rated Requires Improvement; care was kind and more personalised, but safety and leadership still needed strengthening.
This was a follow-up inspection after the home was rated Inadequate in February 2019 and placed in Special Measures. Inspectors visited on 3 and 4 September 2019. They spoke with people living there, relatives, staff and other professionals, observed care and reviewed care plans, medicines records and quality checks.
The home had made substantial improvements. Care plans were more accurate, activities had improved, and people were treated with kindness, dignity and respect. Inspectors rated Effective, Caring and Responsive as Good.
Safety and leadership were rated Requires Improvement. Inspectors found minor risks in the environment, inconsistent recording of the effects of some medicines, delays for some people during staff handovers, and consultation about changes was not always effective.
The home was no longer in breach of regulations and was no longer in Special Measures. However, CQC said improvements needed to become firmly established and would continue to monitor progress.
Improved care planning
The care plans reviewed were current and gave staff useful information about people's needs, preferences and choices.
“The care plans we saw contained the most up to date information.” from the report
More meaningful activities
People had more chances to take part in social and individual activities, including exercise, outings and activities in their rooms.
“There was considerable improvement in opportunities for people to take part in for activity and social interaction.” from the report
Improved monitoring
The provider had improved its audits and management oversight. These checks were better at identifying and addressing problems.
“The audits completed were in a better format and better organised since our last inspection.” from the report
Medicines records
needs fixingGuidance for medicines given when needed had improved, but staff did not always record the effect of these medicines. This made it harder to check whether they worked as intended.
“Although, there remained room to improve the consistency of some records.” from the report
Staff handover cover
needs fixingDuring staff handovers, some people had to wait for help with the toilet or for call bells to be answered. The management team said this would be addressed as a priority.
“A small number of people said they sometimes had to wait for staff to assist them to the toilet during these times or to respond to call bells.” from the report
Infection control
minorCrockery was left on dining tables for long periods before meals, which inspectors said could allow contamination. The home had enough protective equipment and hand-washing facilities.
“the crockery was set out on dining tables, for long periods between meals” from the report
Keeping people informed
minorSome people did not understand why changes had been made and believed one dining room was for staff only. The management team began addressing this during the inspection.
“some people did not feel consulted or informed about these changes.” from the report
- 01How do you make sure people are supported promptly while staff are in handover meetings?
- 02How do you record and review the effect of medicines given on an as-needed basis?
- 03What has changed to prevent crockery being left on tables for long periods before meals?
- 04How are residents and relatives now consulted and kept informed about changes in the home?
- 05How are you checking that the improvements found at this inspection are being sustained?
This was a follow-up inspection to check action taken after the previous inspection and it assessed all five key questions. This explanation was written from the published report of 20 November 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 Ernelesthorp Manor & Lodge
6 rated inspections over 8 years: the service has held its Good rating throughout.
- February 2023Goodcurrent ratingup from Requires improvementSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- November 2019Requires improvementup from InadequateSafe: Requires improvementWell-led: Requires improvement
- May 2019Inadequatestayed InadequateSafe: InadequateEffective: Requires improvementCaring: Requires improvementResponsive: Requires improvementWell-led: Inadequate
- August 2018Inadequatedown from Requires improvementSafe: InadequateEffective: Requires improvementCaring: Requires improvementResponsive: Requires improvementWell-led: Inadequate
- July 2017Requires improvementdown from GoodSafe: Requires improvementEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Requires improvement
- April 2015GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- November 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- July 2012
Report published without a new overall rating.
- April 2012
Report published without a new overall rating.
- February 2012
Report published without a new overall rating.
- December 2010
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 30 December 2010.
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.
Weigh the report against the rest
Fees, photos and reviews from families
How to read CQC ratings and reports
What to check when you visit
92 live-in carers within about an hour of Doncaster
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. 77 can care for a couple. 11 years' experience on average.
“Carla has been a god send with the implementation of bringing mum back home from respite care.”
“I can honestly say without Petros I don't believe he would have lived an extra 2 years”
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.