CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at Griffin House
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
- Safe?
- Good
- Inspectors found effective safeguarding, reviewed risk assessments, suitable staffing and safe medicines arrangements. Fire drills, environmental checks and infection control procedures were also in place.
- Effective?
- Good
- Staff were trained to a high standard and people's health and dietary needs were supported. The home used positive behaviour support and followed the principles of the Mental Capacity Act.
- Caring?
- Good
- Staff treated people with kindness and respect, knew them well and supported their privacy, dignity, choices and family relationships.
- Responsive?
- Good
- Care was personalised and goals were reviewed. Activities reflected people's preferences, and the home used several communication methods, including Makaton, images and easy-read information.
- Well-led?
- Good
- Inspectors found clear leadership, regular involvement of people and staff, and systems for checking quality and performance. The home worked with health and social care agencies.
What inspectors found, December 2017
Rated Good; inspectors found safe, kind and personalised care, with all five areas rated Good.
This was a comprehensive, announced inspection on 27 November 2017. The inspector spoke with two people living at the home, four relatives, staff and the registered manager. They also checked care records, medicines records, staff files, training records and management records.
The home supported two people with a learning disability, although it was registered for up to three people. Inspectors found effective safeguarding, risk assessments, staffing, medicines arrangements and infection control. Staff were trained and people were supported with their health, communication, independence and community activities.
Inspectors found care to be kind, respectful and personalised. People and relatives were involved in decisions and reviews. The home used communication methods including Makaton, pictures and easy-read information.
The overall rating was Good, and each of the five areas was also rated Good. This was unchanged from the previous inspection. The report says the service met all relevant fundamental standards.
Safe care and medicines
Safeguarding systems, risk assessments and medicines processes were in place. Staff knew how to report concerns and medicines were audited.
“Medicines were safely stored and administered in accordance with best-practice.” from the report
Personalised support
Care records were detailed and tailored to individual needs and preferences. Goals and care plans were reviewed regularly.
“People's care records were extremely detailed and personalised to meet their individual preferences and needs.” from the report
Communication and choice
People were supported to understand information and make choices through face-to-face communication, Makaton, images and easy-read information.
“The service exceeded the requirements of the Accessible Information Standard by utilising a range of communication methods.” from the report
Kind and respectful staff
Inspectors and relatives found that staff treated people well, protected their dignity and supported family contact.
“It was clear that staff knew people well and communicated with them in an appropriate and respectful manner.” from the report
Support for independence
The home encouraged positive risk taking and helped people make progress towards personal goals, including using public transport and feeling less anxious in community settings.
“We saw numerous examples in care records of staff actively promoting people's independence.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01How would you support my relative's preferred way of communicating, including Makaton, images or easy-read information?
- 02How would you assess and review my relative's risks while still supporting independence?
- 03What activities and personal goals would be included in my relative's weekly timetable?
- 04How would you support my relative's health appointments, dietary preferences and positive behaviour support needs?
- 05How are relatives involved in care plan reviews and decisions about changes in support?
This was a comprehensive inspection covering all five CQC questions, and all five ratings were Good. This explanation was written from the published report of 20 December 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 Griffin House
2 rated inspections over 2 years: the service has held its Good rating throughout.
- December 2017Goodcurrent ratingstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- November 2015GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- October 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- December 2012
Report published without a new overall rating.
- November 2011
Report published without a new overall rating.
- December 2010
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 8 December 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
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What to check when you visit
38 live-in carers within about an hour of Sefton
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. 34 can care for a couple. 11 years' experience on average.
“He developed a close affinity with Terence, spending time talking with him before he retired to bed and looking after his needs during the night.”
“It was clear that she genuinely cared and her warm approach really helped put our minds at ease.”
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.