CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at Heaton House Residential Care Home
Rated Outstanding: inspectors found the home performing exceptionally well.
- Safe?
- Good
- Inspectors were assured that the home used personal protective equipment safely, provided testing, maintained hygiene and managed infection risks. They also found arrangements for safe visiting and admission.
- 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?
- Outstanding
- Is care built around the person? Care plans, activities, complaints.
- Well-led?
- Outstanding
- Is the home run well? The manager, the culture, how problems get found and fixed.
What inspectors found, April 2021
Inspected but not rated; inspectors were assured that infection prevention and family contact arrangements were being managed well.
This was an announced, targeted inspection on 25 February 2021. It focused on infection prevention and control during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Inspectors found good supplies of personal protective equipment, regular testing for staff and residents, and plans to isolate people if needed. They were assured that the home was using protective equipment safely and managing infection risks.
The home supported phone, internet and in-person contact with family and friends. Inspectors also found the building clean and free from clutter, with activities such as crafting and music available.
Family contact
The home supported people to keep in touch with relatives by telephone, internet and carefully arranged in-person visits.
“People were well supported by staff to have telephone and internet contact with their family and friends.” from the report
Infection control
Inspectors found good supplies of protective equipment, testing for staff and residents, and plans to isolate people if needed.
“The registered manager had plans in place to isolate people with COVID-19 to minimise transmission.” from the report
Clean environment and activities
The building was clean and uncluttered, and staff provided activities to support people's welfare and stimulation.
“The building was clean and free from clutter.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01How are people isolated if they develop COVID-19 or are exposed to infection?
- 02Where are personal protective equipment supplies kept, and how do staff make sure they use them safely?
- 03How often are residents and staff tested for COVID-19 now?
- 04How are family visits arranged, including visits for people who cannot use telephone or internet contact?
- 05How do you keep the infection prevention and control policy up to date?
This was a targeted inspection of infection prevention and control during the COVID-19 pandemic; it did not provide ratings for the other inspection questions. This explanation was written from the published report of 20 April 2021 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, November 2019
Heaton House Residential Care Home was rated Outstanding overall, with kind, safe care and especially strong personalised activities and leadership.
Two inspectors made an unannounced visit on 5 March 2019. They spoke with people living in the home, relatives, staff and managers. They observed care and checked care plans, medicines records, staff files and management records.
The home was rated Good for Safe, Effective and Caring. Inspectors found enough trained staff, safe medicines systems, clean surroundings, good support with food and drink, access to healthcare, and kind, respectful care.
Responsive and Well-led were rated Outstanding. Inspectors found highly personalised activities, strong links with the local community, excellent support for family contact, and managers who encouraged learning and improvement.
The overall rating was Outstanding. The previous overall rating was Good, published in May 2017. Responsive and Well-led improved from Good to Outstanding, while the other three ratings stayed Good.
Personalised activities
People had regular activities based on their interests, abilities and past lives. Staff noticed how people responded and adapted activities to keep them involved.
“Care given was always person centred. Staff worked regularly with people, knew them well and could adjust care based on their preferences.” from the report
Community connections
Regular visits from children, choirs and local groups helped people stay connected and reduced isolation. People were also supported to visit local places and attend events.
“This intergenerational partnership working was a huge success, with one child bringing a photomontage of the day in to the home.” from the report
Family contact
Staff helped people keep in touch with relatives through visits, video calls and messaging apps. Relatives could visit at any time and could stay overnight at the end of a person's life.
“People remained connected to family even when the families lived far away or were travelling, because the management team had sourced innovative technology including tablet computers and apps.” from the report
Kind and respectful staff
Inspectors saw unhurried care and staff who knew people's preferences and communication needs. People were treated with dignity and involved in decisions.
“Staff were caring and support was unhurried. Staff responded to people promptly when people asked for help.” from the report
Strong leadership
Managers were visible and had systems to monitor care and safety. Staff received regular training and were encouraged to suggest improvements.
“There was an open and transparent culture of continuous learning and development.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01How would you build my relative's past hobbies, interests and routines into their care plan?
- 02What activities and community visits are currently available, including links with local children or community groups?
- 03How will you help my relative keep in touch with family if we are away or live a long distance from the home?
- 04How do you check that medicines records remain accurate, and what changes are made after a medicines error?
- 05How many staff are normally available at busy times, and what training do staff have in dementia care and my relative's specific needs?
This was an unannounced planned inspection covering all five CQC questions, including care, accommodation, records, staffing and management systems. This explanation was written from the published report of 29 November 2019 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 Heaton House Residential Care Home
2 rated inspections over 3 years: the service has improved, from Good to Outstanding.
- April 2021Inspected but not ratedcurrent ratingSafe: Inspected but not rated
Read what inspectors found at Heaton House Residential Care Home →
- November 2019Outstandingup from GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: OutstandingWell-led: Outstanding
Read what inspectors found at Heaton House Residential Care Home →
- July 2016GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- August 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- March 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- November 2011
Report published without a new overall rating.
- January 2011
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 17 January 2011.
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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28 live-in carers within about an hour of West Sussex
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 £1,170 a week. 23 can care for a couple. 11 years' experience on average.
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