CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at Gairloch Residential Care Home
Rated Requires improvement: inspectors found the home was not performing as well as it should and told it what to change.
What inspectors found, January 2020
Gairloch Residential Care Home was rated Good; inspectors found kind, person-centred care, with monitoring of some medicines needing improvement.
This was an unannounced inspection on 13 December 2019. One inspector spoke with people living at the home, a relative, staff and a health professional. They also checked care plans, medicine records, recruitment files, training information and quality checks.
The home was rated Good overall and Good in all five areas: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. Inspectors found that people were protected from abuse, staff were recruited safely, care was tailored to people’s needs and managers checked the quality of care.
There was one area to improve. Senior carers were trained to give medicines, but the monitoring of medicines given only when needed was not strong enough. The inspectors made a recommendation about this.
Kind and respectful care
People and relatives spoke positively about staff. Inspectors saw staff ask permission, protect privacy and support people with dignity.
“Staff were observed to provide dignified care whilst promoting independence throughout the inspection.” from the report
Personalised support
Care plans recorded people’s individual needs, preferences and wishes. Staff had clear guidance for supporting people with more complex health needs.
“People had care plans that were person centred and clearly identified their individual needs and preferences and how staff should support them.” from the report
Good health support
The home worked with health professionals when people’s needs changed, including support with mobility, mental health, hearing, dental care and foot care.
“The registered manager had excellent links with local stakeholder and health care professionals, ensuring that when people had additional needs they could be met and managed.” from the report
Activities and relationships
An activities worker was available five days a week, and people helped choose activities. Staff also supported people to go out and spend time talking.
“The service employed an activities person five days a week, who worked alternative weekends.” from the report
Open management
The manager and deputy manager worked alongside staff and were described as approachable. The home used audits and meetings to identify and act on improvements.
“The registered manager and deputy manager worked with staff role modelling how care should be provided.” from the report
Monitoring of some medicines
needs fixingThe report says monitoring of medicines given only when needed needed improvement. Ask to see how staff record when these medicines are given and whether they helped.
“However, the monitoring of as required medications needed improving and we have made a recommendation about this.” from the report
- 01What changes have you made to monitor medicines given only when needed since this inspection?
- 02How do you record whether a medicine given only when needed has worked?
- 03How would you support my relative’s particular health, communication or mobility needs?
- 04What activities would be suitable for my relative, and how would you support them to take part?
- 05How would you support my relative at the end of their life, and how would you involve our family?
This inspection looked at the care provided and the premises, and assessed all five CQC questions; the visit was unannounced and included checks of care, medicines, staffing, records and management systems. This explanation was written from the published report of 9 January 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, June 2017
Gairloch Residential Care Home was rated Good; inspectors found safe, kind and personalised care with effective management.
Inspectors visited the home without notice on 10 May 2017. They spoke with six residents, two relatives, three care staff, managers and the provider. They observed care and reviewed care records, staff files, medicines, staffing, training, complaints and quality checks.
The home supported 18 people, although it could accommodate up to 24. Inspectors found enough staff, safe medicine arrangements and suitable checks when recruiting staff. People had up-to-date care plans and were supported with food, drink, healthcare and activities.
People were treated with dignity and respect. Inspectors found good leadership, regular audits and a system for listening to feedback and responding to complaints. All five areas were rated Good, and the home remained Good compared with the previous inspection in February 2015.
Safe staffing and medicines
The home planned staffing around people's care needs. Inspectors also found that medicines were stored and given as prescribed.
“Our checks of stocks and balances of people's medicines confirmed these had been given as indicated on people's individual MAR sheets.” from the report
Personalised support
Care plans recorded people's needs, preferences, likes, dislikes and allergies. Staff knew this information and updated plans when people's needs changed.
“Each person had an up to date care plan which set out for staff how their needs should be met.” from the report
Respectful care
Staff gave people their attention, spoke respectfully and protected privacy during personal care and medicines support.
“We observed positive interactions between people and staff.” from the report
Good oversight
Managers carried out regular audits and used action plans to address areas for improvement. People and staff were encouraged to give feedback.
“They used these audits to review the service.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01How do you cover staffing gaps caused by sickness or annual leave?
- 02Has the planned refresher training in medicine administration taken place, and how is staff competence checked?
- 03How will you review and update my relative's care plan when their needs or preferences change?
- 04What activities would be suitable for my relative's interests and abilities?
- 05How can relatives raise concerns, and how will we be told what action has been taken?
This was an unannounced inspection looking at the overall quality of the home and all five CQC questions, with ratings provided for each. This explanation was written from the published report of 9 June 2017 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 Gairloch Residential Care Home
3 rated inspections over 5 years: the service has held its Good rating throughout.
- January 2020Goodcurrent ratingstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
Read what inspectors found at Gairloch Residential Care Home →
- June 2017Goodstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
Read what inspectors found at Gairloch Residential Care Home →
- May 2015GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- May 2014
Report published without a new overall rating.
- March 2014
Report published without a new overall rating.
- March 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- January 2011
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 25 January 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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Most charge £1,020 to £1,260 a week. 25 can care for a couple. 10 years' experience on average.
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