CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at Heronsmede
Rated Outstanding: inspectors found the home performing exceptionally well.
- Safe?
- Good
- There were enough staff and recruitment checks were robust. Staff understood safeguarding and risk management, and medicines were managed safely overall, although one handwritten entry was not signed in line with policy.
- Effective?
- Outstanding
- Staff were highly trained and worked closely with health professionals to support complex health needs. People were helped to make decisions and achieve positive outcomes.
- Caring?
- Good
- Staff treated people with kindness and respect, maintained privacy and dignity, and encouraged independence. Staff knew people's individual needs and preferences well.
- Responsive?
- Outstanding
- Support plans were highly personalised and regularly reviewed. Staff used creative communication methods and worked with people and families to support activities, relationships and personal goals.
- Well-led?
- Good
- The home had an open culture and relatives and staff had confidence in the manager. Quality and safety were monitored through regular checks, audits and action plans.
What inspectors found, November 2018
Rated Outstanding; inspectors found highly personalised care and strong outcomes, with one medicines record not signed correctly.
This was an unannounced comprehensive inspection on 18 September 2018. One inspector observed care, meals and medicines, spoke with relatives, staff and health professionals, and checked care plans, medicines records, recruitment files, audits and safety records.
The home supported eight people with learning disabilities or autism. Inspectors found enough trained staff, safe medicines management, detailed risk assessments and suitable emergency plans. One handwritten medicines entry had not been signed as required, but the manager acted straight away.
Care was rated Outstanding overall. Effective and responsive care were Outstanding. Safe, caring and well-led were Good. This means inspectors found an exceptionally strong service overall, while some areas were good rather than outstanding.
Personalised support
Support plans reflected each person's physical, emotional, social and cultural needs. Staff focused on what people wanted to achieve and how they preferred to be supported.
“People's support plans and care records were extremely personalised, reflecting their individual, current needs.” from the report
Choice and independence
People were involved in decisions as far as possible. Staff used communication tools, observations and adapted environments to support choice and independence.
“People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible” from the report
Family relationships
Staff welcomed relatives and worked actively to maintain or rebuild family relationships. Relatives were included in reviews and kept informed.
“Staff recognised the importance of maintaining relationships with family and friends.” from the report
Medicines record
minorOne person's medicines record contained a handwritten entry that had not been signed as required by the provider's policy. The manager acted immediately and said future records would be printed by the pharmacy.
“However, we found one person's medicine record had a handwritten entry which had not been signed in accordance with the provider's policy.” from the report
- 01How are medicines records now checked to make sure every entry is signed correctly?
- 02How will you make sure staffing levels remain safe when staff are absent or work extra hours?
- 03How are people involved in decisions if they cannot communicate using speech?
- 04How are support plans reviewed when a person's health or communication needs change?
- 05How will relatives be involved in care reviews and decisions about activities and health support?
This was an unannounced comprehensive inspection covering the overall quality and safety of the home, including care, premises, medicines, staffing, records and management systems. This explanation was written from the published report of 6 November 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 Heronsmede
2 rated inspections over 3 years: the service has improved, from Good to Outstanding.
- November 2018Outstandingcurrent ratingup from GoodSafe: GoodEffective: OutstandingCaring: GoodResponsive: OutstandingWell-led: Good
- February 2016GoodSafe: Requires improvementEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- November 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- March 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- May 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.
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83 live-in carers within about an hour of Windsor and Maidenhead
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 £1,260 a week. 76 can care for a couple. 12 years' experience on average.
“I can truly say that Peter always put Dad at the centre of everything and I know that they found a great friendship in difficult times.”
“Not only has she looked after him beautifully, she has also been great company for him with lively conversation, kindness and humour.”
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.