CQC report explained · a nursing home
What the CQC found at Heathfield Court Care Home
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
- Safe?
- Good
- Inspectors were assured that infection prevention and control procedures were being followed. They found arrangements for visitors, social distancing, admissions, protective equipment, testing, cleaning and managing outbreaks.
- Effective?
- Good
- Does the care work? Training, consent, food and drink, working with GPs and nurses.
- Caring?
- Good
- Are people treated with kindness and dignity?
- Responsive?
- Good
- Is care built around the person? Care plans, activities, complaints.
- Well-led?
- Good
- Is the home run well? The manager, the culture, how problems get found and fixed.
What inspectors found, September 2020
Inspected but not rated; inspectors were assured that infection control measures were in place during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The inspection took place on 20 August 2020 and was announced. It was a targeted inspection about infection prevention and control, carried out as part of the CQC's coronavirus review of care homes.
Inspectors found appropriate controls for visitors, including handwashing, hand sanitiser, masks and symptom checks. The home supported visits from relatives and friends in a designated room or garden, with social distancing and cleaning between visits.
Inspectors found the home clean and well kept. Staff had updated infection control and Covid-19 training, and a trained team carried out testing for people living at the home and staff.
The service was inspected but not rated. This means the report does not give a full overall rating or full ratings for all five areas of care.
Visitor safety
Visitors had to follow infection control steps when entering the home, including handwashing, sanitiser, masks and symptom screening.
“All visitors were required to wash their hands, apply hand sanitizer, wear masks and they were screened for symptoms of acute respiratory infection when they entered the home.” from the report
Family contact
The home supported visits from relatives and friends in a designated visiting room or garden. Visits were booked and the areas were cleaned between them.
“Visits were booked in advance and the visiting areas were cleaned between visits.” from the report
Clean environment
The home had an enhanced cleaning schedule covering frequently touched areas, and inspectors observed that it was clean and well kept.
“We observed that the home was very clean and well kept.” from the report
Testing and training
Staff had updated Covid-19 and infection control training. A trained team carried out testing for people living at the home and staff.
“There was a designated team of trained staff that carried out all testing on people using the service and staff.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01What infection control and protective equipment arrangements are in place now?
- 02How are visits from relatives managed, and how are visiting areas cleaned between visits?
- 03How often are people living at the home and staff tested when there is an infection risk?
- 04How do you manage admissions and possible infection outbreaks?
- 05Where can I see the home's latest full CQC ratings for care beyond infection control?
This was a targeted inspection of infection prevention and control measures only, so the service was inspected but not rated and the report does not assess all five areas of care. This explanation was written from the published report of 5 September 2020 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, July 2018
Heathfield Court Care Home was rated Good; inspectors found safe, kind and responsive care, with some recent staffing concerns and no registered manager in post.
This was an unannounced inspection on 24 and 25 May 2018. Inspectors spoke with people, relatives and staff, observed care, and checked care, medicines, staffing and management records. They also contacted health and social care professionals.
The home was rated Good overall and Good in all five areas: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. Inspectors found up-to-date risk assessments and care plans, safe medicines management, enough staff, suitable training, kind care and activities that supported people's interests.
The provider did not have a registered manager in post. A new manager had been appointed in March 2018 and their application was being processed. People and relatives had raised some recent concerns about staffing levels, call bells and offering more fluids, but the report says action had been taken.
Safe care planning
Inspectors found that risks such as falls, pressure sores and seizures were assessed and that staff had clear guidance to reduce harm.
“The risk assessments we reviewed, were all up to date with detailed guidance for staff to reduce risks.” from the report
Kind and dignified care
Staff were observed speaking kindly with people and supporting their privacy, dignity and personal choices.
“We observed staff communicating with people in a caring and compassionate manner throughout the time of our inspection.” from the report
Activities and personal support
The home arranged daily activities and supported people to follow their interests, maintain relationships and stay socially involved.
“The service employed an activities coordinator who arranged activities daily.” from the report
Good oversight
The provider used audits and meetings to monitor care and make changes, including updating care plans and arranging extra staffing.
“The provider had effective systems and processes to assess and monitor the quality of care people received.” from the report
Manager registration
minorThere was no registered manager in post when inspectors visited. A new manager had been appointed, but their application to become registered was still being processed.
“The service did not have a registered manager in post.” from the report
Recent staffing and call bell concerns
needs fixingPeople and relatives reported some recent staffing problems and a slight issue with call bells not being answered. The report says an extra staff member was recruited and the call bell problem had improved.
“Recently there were some issues around staffing levels. At the residents meeting last night we addressed some of the issues.” from the report
Fluid offers
minorA relative felt their family member could be offered more fluids. The home had introduced fluid charts, and inspectors found people were offered drinks and snacks during the inspection.
“I think they could be offered more fluids and I have raised this too and there are now fluid charts.” from the report
- 01Has the manager's application to become registered with CQC been completed, and who is legally responsible for the home while it is being processed?
- 02How many staff are on each shift now, and how do you change staffing when people's needs increase?
- 03How quickly are call bells answered, and how do you check that response times remain acceptable?
- 04How do you make sure people are offered enough fluids, and how are fluid charts reviewed?
- 05How are relatives involved in reviewing care plans, activities and staffing arrangements?
This was an unannounced comprehensive inspection of the whole service and all five CQC questions; it was the first inspection since the home's registration in April 2017. This explanation was written from the published report of 18 July 2018 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 Heathfield Court Care Home
Each visit the CQC has published, newest first, back to the day the home was registered.
- September 2020Inspected but not ratedcurrent ratingSafe: Inspected but not rated
- July 2018GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- April 2017
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 21 April 2017.
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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