CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at Golden Sands
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
- Safe?
- Good
- Inspectors found enough staff, robust recruitment checks, suitable safeguarding arrangements and safe systems for risks, emergencies, infection control and medicines. They recommended better recording of medicines stock and clearer guidance for medicines given when needed.
- Effective?
- Good
- Staff were trained and supported, and people's health, nutrition and hydration were monitored. The home worked with healthcare professionals and followed the principles of the Mental Capacity Act.
- Caring?
- Good
- People, relatives and healthcare professionals described staff as kind and caring. Inspectors observed respectful support, with people's privacy, dignity, choices and independence maintained.
- Responsive?
- Outstanding
- The home went beyond basic care to support people's hobbies, interests, trips, family events and links with the local community. Care plans were detailed and person-centred, and end of life wishes were included.
- Well-led?
- Good
- The manager and provider gave strong, open leadership and sought the views of people, relatives and staff. Audits and checks were in place, although some environmental records had not been updated recently.
What inspectors found, January 2019
Rated Good; inspectors found safe, kind care and outstanding support for people's activities and individual interests.
Inspectors visited on 22 and 23 November 2018. The first day was unannounced. They spoke with people, relatives, staff and healthcare professionals, observed care, and checked care files, medicines records, recruitment records and quality checks.
The home was rated Good overall. Safe, Effective, Caring and Well-led were all rated Good. Inspectors found enough staff, suitable training, safe care, respectful support and good leadership.
Responsive improved from Good to Outstanding. Staff made extra efforts to support hobbies, trips, family events and community activities. The home also gave careful attention to people's end of life wishes.
Inspectors recommended better medicines recording because stock totals were not always clear and a protocol for medicines given when needed would be useful. Some environmental checks had not been fully recorded recently.
Activities and community life
Staff arranged a wide range of individual and group activities, including trips out, hobbies, family events and community links. Extra staff were provided so more people could take part.
“The service had gone the extra mile to ensure people's individual wishes and activities which were important to them, were met.” from the report
Kind and respectful care
People were treated with kindness and compassion. Staff respected privacy, supported independence and responded sensitively when people were anxious or unwell.
“Our observations throughout the day showed staff being caring, compassionate and observant to people's needs and feelings.” from the report
Staffing and training
Inspectors found enough staff on each shift and no reliance on agency staff. Staff received training, supervision and support to develop their skills.
“People benefitted from a staff group who were well trained and supported to do their job.” from the report
Person-centred planning
Care plans recorded people's needs, preferences, routines and life histories. Staff knew people well and used this information to provide individual care.
“Plans ensured people had person centred care because it gave good details for staff to understand people's likes, dislikes and preferred routines.” from the report
End of life support
The home discussed people's end of life wishes and included them in care plans. Staff had training and aimed to keep people comfortable and pain free.
“End of life care was seen as important and staff were passionate about making sure people's final days were comfortable and pain free.” from the report
Medicines records
needs fixingThe records did not always show the total amount of prescribed medicine held for each person. Inspectors recommended following best practice when recording medicines, including clearer guidance for medicines given when needed.
“There was not always a way of knowing the amounts of prescribed stock in house” from the report
Environmental check records
minorSome safety and environmental checks had not been updated recently because the staff member who normally completed them was away. The manager said this would be addressed.
“some of these had not been updated recently.” from the report
- 01How do you now record the total amount of prescribed medicines held for each person?
- 02What written guidance do staff use for medicines given when needed?
- 03Have the environmental safety checks been brought fully up to date, and how are they monitored now?
- 04Are the extra staff and community trips described in the report still available for residents who want to take part?
- 05How do you record and review each person's end of life wishes?
This was a planned inspection covering all five CQC questions, including the accommodation and care provided; inspectors spoke with seven people and two relatives and reviewed three care files and three medicines records. This explanation was written from the published report of 4 January 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 Golden Sands
2 rated inspections over 3 years: the service has held its Good rating throughout.
- January 2019Goodcurrent ratingstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: OutstandingWell-led: Good
- May 2016GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- November 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- September 2012
Report published without a new overall rating.
- July 2011
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 6 July 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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17 live-in carers within about an hour of Devon
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 £1,020 to £1,270 a week. 15 can care for a couple. 13 years' experience on average.
“She is such a warm and gentle person while being professional and competent at the same time.”
“She looked after my mum, who can be incredibly challenging, so well and so gently, and we always felt confident that my mum was getting the best care available.”
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.