CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at Greenfields
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
- Safe?
- Good
- People were protected from abuse and avoidable harm. Inspectors found suitable safeguarding procedures, enough staff, safe medicines systems and regular checks of risks, equipment and fire safety.
- Effective?
- Good
- This area was not inspected during this visit. Its previous rating was used when calculating the overall rating.
- Caring?
- Good
- This area was not inspected during this visit. Inspectors did observe positive interactions and reported that staff protected people's privacy and dignity.
- Responsive?
- Good
- This area was not inspected during this visit. Inspectors reported that staff responded to people's individual needs and preferences.
- Well-led?
- Good
- The home had systems to monitor quality and safety. Inspectors found clear roles, suitable training, positive leadership and a plan for improvement.
What inspectors found, November 2023
Greenfields was rated Good; inspectors found safe, kind care and strong management, but this inspection covered only safety and leadership.
Inspectors visited on 17 October 2023. They observed care, spoke with staff, relatives and healthcare professionals, and reviewed care, medicines, safety and management records. People using the service could not communicate verbally with inspectors, so observations were also used.
The home was rated Good for Safe and Well-led. Inspectors found enough trained staff, safe medicines systems, suitable safeguarding procedures, managed risks and a clean, well-maintained environment. They also found positive relationships between staff and people using the service.
The overall rating stayed Good, as it was at the previous inspection published in 2017. The other three areas were not inspected during this visit, so their previous ratings were used when calculating the overall rating.
Enough suitable staff
Staffing was adjusted to people's changing needs. The home was not using agency staff and followed safer recruitment checks.
“There was sufficient staff deployed to meet people's needs and keep them safe from avoidable harm.” from the report
Safe medicines
Medicines were managed safely, with audits, staff training and checks of staff competence.
“People's medicines were managed so they received them safely.” from the report
Kind and respectful care
Inspectors saw positive interactions. They found that staff respected people's privacy and dignity and understood their individual needs.
“People received kind and compassionate care. Staff protected and respected people's privacy and dignity.” from the report
Strong management
The manager and provider had quality checks, clear roles and an improvement plan. Feedback from relatives, staff and healthcare professionals was positive.
“There was a governance framework in place to monitor and assess the quality and safety of the service.” from the report
Support for independence
The home had introduced a scheme to help people move towards more independent accommodation after longer stays in other healthcare settings.
“This supported people to transition into more independent accommodation such as supported living following extended stays in other healthcare settings.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01How will you assess my relative's changing needs during a short break or day care visit?
- 02How will you involve my relative and our family in decisions about risks and care?
- 03How will you check that staff supporting my relative remain trained and competent, including with medicines?
- 04How will you communicate with us if there is an accident, incident or change in my relative's needs?
- 05What progress has been made with the service improvement plan and the scheme supporting greater independence?
This was a focused inspection of Safe and Well-led; the other three ratings were not inspected and carried over from the previous inspection. This explanation was written from the published report of 10 November 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, October 2017
Rated Good; inspectors found safe, kind and personalised care, with all five areas rated Good.
This was a comprehensive inspection on 13 and 22 September 2017. The first day was unannounced. One inspector spoke with two people using the home, three relatives, the manager and two care workers. Records for three people and the home's management records were also checked.
The inspectors found that people appeared calm and relaxed. Staff understood complex communication needs, supported people's choices and provided activities and outings. Medicines, staffing, risk management, cleanliness, care planning and staff training were all found to be satisfactory.
The home was rated Good overall and Good in Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. This was the same rating as at the previous inspection in August 2015. No health care professionals responded to the inspector's request for feedback.
Understanding communication
Staff were skilled at understanding complex communication needs and used people's expressions, gestures and sounds to interpret their wishes.
“Staff were skilled at understanding people's complex communication needs.” from the report
Safe medicines
Staff were trained to administer medicines, their competence was checked regularly and the medicine records had no gaps or unexplained problems.
“Medicine administration records (MAR's were completed correctly with no gaps or anomalies.” from the report
Kind and respectful care
Inspectors saw warm interactions. Staff protected privacy, sought consent and encouraged people to make choices about their daily lives.
“They were friendly, caring and warm in their conversations with people; crouching down to maintain eye contact, using gestures and touch to communicate.” from the report
Personalised support
The home assessed people's needs before they stayed and kept detailed care plans covering their preferences, safety and wellbeing.
“Each person had a detailed care plan which included all aspects of their needs, preferences and what staff needed to do to keep them safe and well.” from the report
Open management
Families and staff felt able to raise concerns or suggestions. The home used audits and surveys to check the quality of care.
“It was clear any concerns or suggestions had been encouraged from people, family and staff.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01How will you understand and communicate with my relative if they cannot communicate verbally?
- 02How will you adjust staffing levels when people need support with outings, social events or more complex care?
- 03How will you manage and record my relative's medicines, and how often will staff competence be checked?
- 04How will my relative and our family be involved in creating and reviewing their care plan?
- 05What activities and outings could be offered to my relative, including opportunities to access the local community?
This was a comprehensive inspection covering all five key questions, with an unannounced first day; the previous inspection in August 2015 had also rated all areas Good. This explanation was written from the published report of 20 October 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 Greenfields
3 rated inspections over 8 years: the service has held its Good rating throughout.
- November 2023Goodcurrent ratingstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- October 2017Goodstayed GoodSafe: GoodWell-led: Good
- September 2015GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- November 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- March 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- April 2012
Report published without a new overall rating.
- November 2010
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 23 November 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
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.