CQC report explained · a nursing home
What the CQC found at Forest Court Care Home
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
What inspectors found, March 2023
Forest Court Care Home was rated Good; inspectors found safe, responsive and well-led care, with some processes needing improvement.
Inspectors visited unannounced on 18, 19 and 20 January 2023. They spoke with eight relatives and 14 staff, observed care, and checked care records, medicines, recruitment, training and management documents.
The home was rated Good overall. Safe, Responsive and Well-led were also rated Good. Inspectors found people were protected from avoidable harm, care was personalised, medicines were managed safely and managers monitored the quality of care.
The inspection followed concerns about moving people, personal care, medicines and how the home was managed. Inspectors found no evidence that people were at risk of harm from these concerns. They did identify a recommendation about pre-admission assessments and found that infection risks for some people were not recorded clearly enough.
The overall rating remained Good, matching the rating published in April 2020. This report did not give new ratings for Effective or Caring.
Safe staffing
Inspectors found enough suitably trained and skilled staff to meet people's needs. Recruitment checks included criminal record checks, employment history and references.
“There were enough suitably trained and skilled staff to meet people's needs.” from the report
Medicines
Medicines were stored and given safely. Staff worked with the GP to review prescriptions, including medicines affecting mental health.
“People's medicines were stored and administered safely. Relevant records were maintained.” from the report
Personalised care
Care planning included people's preferences and the involvement of representatives. Care was adjusted when people's needs changed.
“People's care was planned with their involvement and the involvement of their representative/s.” from the report
Activities and relationships
People could take part in group or one-to-one activities. Staff also supported people during visits and helped reduce loneliness and isolation.
“An activities co-ordinator supported people to take part in activities which were both fun and therapeutic.” from the report
Management oversight
Managers used audits, meetings and improvement plans to monitor the service. They followed up planned work and checked that procedures reflected current guidance.
“The provider had systems and processes in place which enabled them to effectively assess, monitor and improve the quality and safety of the service.” from the report
Pre-admission assessments
minorInspectors made a recommendation about the provider's pre-admission assessment record. This suggests the records should give clearer information before someone moves into the home.
“We have made a recommendation in relation to the provider's pre-admission assessment record.” from the report
Recording infection risks
needs fixingStaff knew which people were more vulnerable to infection, but individual recorded risk assessments were not always in place to show how those risks would be reduced.
“Although staff were aware of people's individual vulnerability to infection, recorded risk assessments were not in place, for those more vulnerable, outlining the actions being taken to reduce risk to these people.” from the report
Recruitment pressures
minorThe home had faced difficulties recruiting and retaining staff. It had taken action and said new recruitment had helped, but staffing remained an area to keep under review.
“The provider had experienced challenges in retaining and recruiting staff and had taken action to address this.” from the report
Emergency response planning
needs fixingThe provider was reviewing its processes for keeping people safe when ambulance responses were delayed, including after seizures or falls.
“The provider was reviewing their processes to ensure they could continue to support people safely, in the event of delayed ambulance response times.” from the report
- 01What changes have you made to the pre-admission assessment record since the inspection?
- 02How do you record and review the extra infection risks of people who are more vulnerable?
- 03What is your current staffing level on each shift, and how do you cover sickness or vacancies?
- 04What is the plan if an ambulance is delayed after a fall or seizure?
- 05When will face-to-face relatives' meetings and formal feedback be fully reintroduced?
This was an unannounced focused inspection prompted by concerns and it rated Safe, Responsive and Well-led; the report did not give new ratings for Effective or Caring. This explanation was written from the published report of 4 March 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, April 2020
Rated Good; inspectors found kind, personalised care and strong safety systems, with some care records still being improved.
This was the home’s first inspection since it registered. It was unannounced and took place over two days. Inspectors spoke with relatives, staff and a visiting healthcare professional. They observed care and reviewed care plans, medicines records, staff files, training records and quality checks.
The home supports up to 40 people, mainly older people living with advanced dementia and some mental health needs. Inspectors found people were safe and treated with kindness and respect. Staff knew people well, supported their choices and responded calmly when people became distressed.
All five areas were rated Good: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. Managers had identified some duplication and gaps in how care records were organised, but work to improve this had started. The home had also changed how space was used at tea-time after identifying a pattern of falls.
Personalised dementia care
Staff knew people’s conditions, preferences and ways of communicating. They used this knowledge to support people calmly and in a person-centred way.
“A person-centred approach to care was adopted and staff supported people to live well with dementia.” from the report
Kind and respectful staff
Inspectors saw many caring interactions. Staff were patient and non-judgemental, including when people were distressed or needed extra time.
“Staff showed genuine care and concern for people, and they supported and encouraged people in a respectful manner.” from the report
Good safety systems
Risks were reviewed, medicines were managed safely and incidents were analysed for lessons. Managers acted after identifying that the home’s large environment might be contributing to falls.
“Effective quality monitoring processes had led to action being taken to improve people's safety.” from the report
Activities and family involvement
People were offered individual and group activities suited to their abilities. Relatives were welcomed and encouraged to stay involved.
“One to one activities included individual music therapy, hand massage, engagement with robot pets, art, reciting poetry and being read to.” from the report
Support with food and drink
Staff encouraged people to eat and drink and followed guidance about dietary needs, including altered food and thickened drinks.
“People were supported to eat and drink sufficiently to maintain a balanced diet.” from the report
Care records being reorganised
needs fixingCare records contained some duplication because formats had been changed by previous providers. Better links between care plans and assessments were needed, and the improvement work was only just beginning.
“Work on this had started but was in its infancy.” from the report
Use of agency staff
minorSafe staffing numbers were maintained, but agency staff were being used while new permanent staff were recruited. One staff member said it would be better to have more permanent staff.
“Although several new staff had been successfully recruited, agency staff were used to support staff numbers.” from the report
Temporary management arrangements
minorThe registered manager was on extended leave and the deputy manager was acting as manager. Inspectors found established systems were being maintained, but families should check who is currently leading the home.
“The registered manager was on extended leave and in their absence their deputy manager had become the acting manager.” from the report
- 01How far has the work to remove duplication and improve cross-referencing in care records progressed?
- 02How many permanent staff are currently employed, and how often are agency staff used?
- 03Who is currently managing the home while the registered manager is on extended leave?
- 04How has the change to the space available at tea-time affected falls and people’s freedom to walk around?
- 05How are families involved in reviewing care plans, activities and end-of-life wishes?
This was the first full inspection of the newly registered home and covered all five CQC questions, including the premises and care provided. This explanation was written from the published report of 24 April 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.
Every inspection of Forest Court Care Home
2 rated inspections over 3 years: the service has held its Good rating throughout.
- March 2023Goodcurrent ratingstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- April 2020GoodSafe: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- March 2019
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 6 March 2019.
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
38 live-in carers within about an hour of Gloucestershire
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 £1,030 to £1,360 a week. 31 can care for a couple. 12 years' experience on average.
“She was very caring, kind and patient to all his needs, she built up a wondetful rapport with him, she was dedicated and was there for him through good times as well as through the tough times”
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.