CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at Halecroft Grange
Rated Outstanding: inspectors found the home performing exceptionally well.
- Safe?
- Good
- People were protected from abuse and avoidable harm. Inspectors found safe staffing and recruitment, regular risk checks, safe medicines management and effective infection control.
- Effective?
- Good
- People received timely healthcare support and staff had suitable training and induction. Assessments considered people's needs and choices, although feedback about food was mixed.
- Caring?
- Outstanding
- Inspectors found an exceptionally kind, inclusive and person-centred culture. People were treated with dignity, supported to remain independent and encouraged to pursue their interests.
- Responsive?
- Outstanding
- Care was tailored to people's life histories, needs and communication preferences. The home provided a wide range of activities, strong dementia support and exceptional end-of-life care.
- Well-led?
- Outstanding
- The home had strong leadership, an open culture and robust systems for checking quality, incidents, safeguarding, complaints, health and safety and medicines.
What inspectors found, August 2023
Halecroft Grange is rated Outstanding overall, with exceptionally caring, responsive and well-led care, and Good ratings for safety and effectiveness.
Inspectors visited without warning on 15 and 16 May 2023. They spoke with people living at the home, relatives, staff and health professionals. They reviewed care records, medicines records, staff recruitment files and management records.
They found people were safe, received their medicines properly and had risks assessed. Staff were trained, recruitment checks were completed and infection control arrangements were effective. People received timely support from health professionals and the home followed the Mental Capacity Act.
The strongest findings were about kindness, personalised care, activities and leadership. The home supported people to follow their interests, stay involved with family and community life, and receive individualised dementia and end-of-life care.
The overall Outstanding rating means inspectors judged the service to be exceptional overall. Safety and effectiveness were rated Good, while caring, responsiveness and leadership were rated Outstanding. The previous rating was Good in 2018 under a previous provider.
Kind and respectful staff
People and relatives described staff as kind, respectful and willing to spend time with them. Inspectors also received very positive feedback from health professionals.
“The staff know me well they are so lovely to me and very kind and always respectful” from the report
Personalised dementia care
Staff used life stories and one-to-one work to understand people with dementia and adapt care around their experiences, preferences and possible causes of distress.
“The approach to dementia care was excellent. People were empowered, listened to and valued.” from the report
Wide range of activities
People had daily activities, individual and group options, evening activities and regular community outings. Activities were based on people's past interests and wishes.
“Activity provision was excellent and people were fully involved in the design and delivery of the activities programme.” from the report
Strong family involvement
Families were involved in care and could join activities, forums and social events. The home also provided regular updates through newsletters and online communication.
“Families were fully engaged in the care provided.” from the report
Robust oversight
Inspectors found effective systems for checking quality and tracking incidents, safeguarding concerns and complaints. Leaders acted on shortfalls identified through audits.
“Highly effective and robust governance systems supported the provision of high-quality person-centred care and support.” from the report
Exceptional end-of-life care
The home used trained end-of-life care champions and worked with families and health professionals. Inspectors found care was personal and went beyond basic requirements.
“The home delivered exceptional end of life care.” from the report
Mixed views about food
minorAlthough some people praised the food and menus offered choices, another person said meals could arrive tepid and that quality was not always good.
“I do feel that what lets this place down is the food it arrives tepid and the quality isn't the best.” from the report
- 01How are you checking that meals are served hot and that food quality continues to improve?
- 02How has the new electronic medicines management system affected missed or late medicines?
- 03How would you use my relative's life history and preferences to plan their daily care and activities?
- 04How would my family be involved in care reviews, residents' meetings and concerns about care?
- 05How often would my relative receive GP, district nurse or other health professional support if their health changed?
This was an unannounced comprehensive inspection covering all five key questions, including the care provided and the home environment. This explanation was written from the published report of 25 August 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, March 2022
Halecroft Grange was inspected but not rated; inspectors found strong infection prevention and control arrangements.
This was an announced, targeted inspection on 23 February 2022. Inspectors gave the home 24 hours' notice.
The inspection focused on infection prevention and control during the COVID-19 pandemic. Inspectors also asked about staffing pressures and whether these affected care.
Inspectors found the home clean, with regular cleaning of high-touch areas. Visitors were screened and asked to use hand hygiene, PPE, testing and vaccination evidence. Staff had PPE and training, and the home was following the visiting guidance.
The service was inspected but not rated. This means the report does not give an overall quality rating or a full rating for all five areas of care.
Clean environment
The home was clean and well presented. Cleaning schedules included high-touch areas such as door handles and handrails.
“The home was clean and well presented. Staff had access to cleaning products and cleaning schedules included high touch areas such as door handles and handrails, which were cleaned regularly.” from the report
PPE and testing
Staff had access to PPE and had been trained to use it. People living in the home and staff had regular COVID-19 testing and had received vaccinations.
“Staff had access to supplies of PPE and had received training to ensure they used this correctly.” from the report
Visitor safety
Visitors were screened on arrival and asked to wash and sanitise their hands, use PPE, show a negative lateral flow test and provide vaccination evidence.
“On arrival to the home, visitors were asked to complete and sign a screening form regarding COVID-19 symptoms and were asked to wash and sanitise their hands, put on personal protective equipment (PPE), show a negative lateral flow test and provide proof of a vaccination status prior to moving from the reception area.” from the report
Visits were supported
The home was facilitating visits in line with the guidance in place at the time of the inspection.
“The provider was facilitating visits for people living in the home in accordance with the current guidance.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01What measures are currently in place to manage COVID-19-related staffing pressures?
- 02How often are high-touch areas such as door handles and handrails cleaned?
- 03What are the current requirements for visitors regarding testing, PPE and vaccination evidence?
- 04How are COVID-19 testing and vaccination arrangements managed for people living here and staff?
- 05How does the home safely manage visits when there is an infection outbreak?
This was a targeted inspection of infection prevention and control, with questions about staffing pressures; the service was inspected but not rated overall. This explanation was written from the published report of 18 March 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 Halecroft Grange
4 rated inspections over 6 years: the service has improved, from Good to Outstanding.
- August 2023Outstandingcurrent ratingstayed OutstandingSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: OutstandingResponsive: OutstandingWell-led: Outstanding
- August 2023OutstandingSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: OutstandingResponsive: OutstandingWell-led: Outstanding
- March 2022Inspected but not ratedSafe: Inspected but not rated
- October 2018Goodstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: Requires improvementWell-led: Good
- July 2017GoodSafe: Requires improvementEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- December 2021
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 10 December 2021.
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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