CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at Grasmere Avenue
Rated Outstanding: inspectors found the home performing exceptionally well.
- Safe?
- Good
- People were protected from abuse and avoidable harm. Risk assessments, staffing, recruitment, medicines, infection control and learning from incidents were all found to be managed safely.
- Effective?
- Good
- This key question was not inspected during this visit. Its previous rating was used when calculating the overall rating.
- Caring?
- Outstanding
- People received exceptionally kind and respectful care. Staff understood individual communication needs and supported people to make choices, develop independence and follow their interests.
- Responsive?
- Good
- This key question was not inspected during this visit. Its previous rating was used when calculating the overall rating.
- Well-led?
- Outstanding
- Inspectors found exceptional leadership, an open and positive culture, strong family involvement and thorough systems for checking and improving care.
What inspectors found, September 2023
Rated Outstanding; inspectors found exceptionally caring and well-led support, with safe care rated Good.
This was an unannounced inspection visit on 17 July 2023. One inspector looked at the care, support and premises. They spoke with people living there, relatives, staff and healthcare professionals, and reviewed care plans, risk records, staff files and quality checks.
The home supported six people with learning disabilities or autism. Inspectors found that people were treated with kindness and respect. Staff supported people to make choices, build independence, take part in activities and be involved in their local community.
Safe care was rated Good. Caring and well-led care were rated Outstanding. The overall rating improved from Good at the previous inspection, published in December 2018.
Choice and independence
Staff used personalised communication, visual information and patient support to help people make choices and develop everyday skills.
“Staff supported people, to be given maximum choices, control, and independence.” from the report
Kind and respectful care
People were treated as individuals, with their dignity, privacy, interests and cultural backgrounds respected.
“People were exceptionally well treated, supported and the service had a strong, visible person-centred culture.” from the report
Strong leadership
The home had clear leadership, regular audits and good communication with families, staff and other services.
“The home's culture was exceptionally positive, person centred, open, inclusive, empowering, and achieved outstanding outcomes for people.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01How will you understand and support my relative's communication if they do not use words?
- 02How do you review risks so that people can take positive risks safely?
- 03How will you involve our family in reviewing care plans, goals and progress?
- 04How do you review medicines and avoid unnecessary or excessive medication?
- 05How do you make sure staffing levels and staff knowledge remain consistent?
This inspection looked at Safe, Caring and Well-led; Effective and Responsive were not inspected and their previous ratings were used in the overall rating. This explanation was written from the published report of 28 September 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 2022
Grasmere Avenue was inspected but not rated; inspectors were assured about infection control, but this was a targeted visit.
The CQC visited the home on 27 January 2022. The visit was announced and focused only on infection prevention and control during the coronavirus pandemic.
Inspectors found that the home was following guidance on visitors, testing, personal protective equipment, social distancing and shielding. They were also assured that the home could prevent and manage infection outbreaks.
Residents were supported to keep in touch with family and friends. The home also monitored residents' wellbeing and had extra support plans for people whose mental health declined.
The home was inspected but not rated. This means the report does not give an overall quality rating or full ratings for all five areas of care.
Infection control
Inspectors were assured that the home was using protective equipment safely and had suitable infection control arrangements.
“We were assured that the provider was using PPE effectively and safely.” from the report
Family contact
Residents could keep in touch with family and friends by phone, email and video calls when requested.
“The provider enabled residents to keep in touch with family members and people's friends through phone calls, emails and video conferencing if requested.” from the report
Wellbeing monitoring
The home carried out monthly wellbeing checks and offered extra support when a person's mental state declined.
“To ensure people's well-being the provider performed monthly wellbeing assessments using a tool and people's mental state was monitored.” from the report
Staffing during the pandemic
Inspectors found that staff had followed the infection control and coronavirus policies without staffing difficulties during the pandemic.
“Staff had successfully adhered to infection control and COVID policies so that no challenges or difficulties had been experienced throughout the pandemic in relation to staffing in this service.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01What is the home's current process for testing visitors, staff and residents for infections?
- 02How does the home now support visits from family members, including visits inside the home?
- 03How are residents' wellbeing and mental health monitored, and what extra support is offered if someone becomes distressed or withdrawn?
- 04What plans are in place for residents who are particularly vulnerable to infections?
- 05Where can we see the home's latest full CQC rating, since this inspection was not rated?
This was a targeted, announced inspection of infection prevention and control only; the report did not assess the other four CQC questions or give an overall rating. This explanation was written from the published report of 9 February 2022 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 Grasmere Avenue
2 rated inspections over 5 years: the service has improved, from Good to Outstanding.
- September 2023Outstandingcurrent ratingSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: OutstandingResponsive: GoodWell-led: Outstanding
- February 2022Inspected but not ratedSafe: Inspected but not rated
- December 2018GoodSafe: GoodCaring: OutstandingWell-led: Good
- February 2018
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 16 February 2018.
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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At least 100 live-in carers within about an hour of Richmond upon Thames
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 £1,270 a week. 78 can care for a couple. 11 years' experience on average.
“Without his support we wouldn't have been able to navigate bringing and keeping Dad at home.”
“We cannot speak highly enough of the care that Angelique gave, and would recommend her to anyone else needing a live-in carer.”
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.