CQC report explained · a nursing home
What the CQC found at Hillcroft Nursing Home Carnforth
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
- Safe?
- Good
- Inspectors were assured about infection prevention and control, including PPE, testing, cleaning, admissions and managing outbreaks. The home was also meeting the COVID-19 vaccination requirement for non-exempt staff and visiting professionals.
- Effective?
- Good
- This question was not assessed in this targeted inspection.
- Caring?
- Good
- This question was not assessed in this targeted inspection.
- Responsive?
- Good
- This question was not assessed in this targeted inspection.
- Well-led?
- Good
- This question was not assessed in this targeted inspection.
What inspectors found, March 2022
Inspected but not rated; inspectors found good infection control, visiting arrangements and links with health services.
This was an announced, targeted inspection on 2 February 2022. It focused on infection prevention and control, visiting arrangements and whether staffing pressures were affecting care during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Inspectors were assured that the home used personal protective equipment safely, supported testing, managed admissions, maintained hygiene and could prevent or manage infection outbreaks. They also found that the home met the COVID-19 vaccination requirement for staff and visiting professionals.
The home used visiting pods and a visiting co-ordinator to support regular visits. Staff worked with health providers, including using technology for GP consultations, and cleaning routines were described as thorough.
The home was inspected but not rated. This means the report gives a focused view of infection control and visiting arrangements, not a full rating of the home's overall quality.
Visiting arrangements
The home created visiting pods and used a visiting co-ordinator to help people continue having regular visits during the pandemic.
“The provider and registered manager had utilised available covid funding to create visiting pods which helped maintain regular visits for people during the COVID-19 pandemic.” from the report
Infection control
Inspectors found that staff followed safe and effective infection prevention and control practices, supported by enhanced cleaning.
“Staff had maintained safe and effective infection prevention and control practices.” from the report
Health care links
The registered manager worked with health providers to maintain health care, including regular GP consultations using technology.
“The registered manager had worked closely with health providers through Care Home Support to maintain quality health care for people living in the home.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01What visiting arrangements are in place now, and is there still support from a visiting co-ordinator?
- 02How are you managing infection prevention and control, including PPE, testing, cleaning and outbreak management?
- 03Are all non-exempt staff and visiting professionals meeting the COVID-19 vaccination requirement?
- 04How are staffing pressures affecting care and staffing levels now?
- 05How do people receive GP and other health consultations when an in-person visit is not possible?
This was a targeted inspection of infection prevention and control, visiting arrangements and staffing pressures; the home was inspected but not rated and other areas were not assessed. This explanation was written from the published report of 12 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.
What inspectors found, January 2019
Hillcroft Nursing Home Carnforth was rated Good; inspectors found safe, kind and responsive care, with a small gap in staff supervision records.
Inspectors visited on 18 and 19 December 2018. The first day was unannounced. They spoke with people living in the home, relatives and staff, watched care, checked records and medicines, and tested call bells.
The home was rated Good in all five areas: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. Inspectors found enough staff, suitable training, safe medicines procedures, clean surroundings and care plans that reflected people's needs.
People and relatives described staff as kind, respectful and caring. Inspectors saw positive interactions, support with food, healthcare and activities, and care that respected people's choices, privacy and dignity.
The overall rating stayed Good, as it had been at the previous inspection. Inspectors said they found no serious risks or concerns, although not all staff had recently received one-to-one guidance or an appraisal.
Staffing and response
Inspectors found enough staff during the visit, with staff visible in communal areas and responding to call bells in a timely way.
“We pressed the call bells three times during our visit and noted staff were responded in a timely manner.” from the report
Kind and respectful care
Staff treated people with patience and respect. Inspectors saw positive relationships and attention to privacy and dignity.
“We observed only positive interactions between staff and people who lived at Hillcroft Carnforth.” from the report
Care planning
People had care plans that included their needs, likes and dislikes. These records were reviewed and updated.
“We saw evidence they had been involved with and were at the centre of developing their care plan.” from the report
End-of-life support
People's end-of-life wishes were recorded and staff supported people to remain in familiar surroundings where possible.
“People's end of life wishes had been recorded so staff were aware of these.” from the report
Quality monitoring
The management team used audits, meetings and discussions with people to monitor care and identify improvements.
“The registered provider had governance systems to ensure the home was resilient and delivered a quality service.” from the report
Staff supervision
needs fixingNot all staff had recently received a one-to-one meeting or appraisal. The manager said meetings had been planned so staff would have this opportunity.
“Not all staff said they had received recent one to one guidance or appraisal.” from the report
Food preferences
minorMost feedback about food was positive, but some people did not always like the meals prepared. Relatives sometimes brought in food even though alternatives were available.
“We also received comments that some people did not always like the food prepared and family members brought meals into the home even though alternative meals were available.” from the report
- 01How often does each staff member receive one-to-one supervision and an appraisal?
- 02What happens when someone does not like the meal that has been prepared?
- 03How are changes in a person's needs reflected in their care plan?
- 04How quickly are call bells usually answered, and how is this monitored?
- 05How will you record and respect my relative's end-of-life wishes?
This was a planned inspection covering all five questions, and all five ratings remained Good from the previous inspection. This explanation was written from the published report of 5 January 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 Hillcroft Nursing Home Carnforth
2 rated inspections over 2 years: the service has held its Good rating throughout.
- March 2022Inspected but not ratedcurrent ratingSafe: Inspected but not rated
Read what inspectors found at Hillcroft Nursing Home Carnforth →
- January 2019Goodstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
Read what inspectors found at Hillcroft Nursing Home Carnforth →
- July 2016GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- May 2014
Report published without a new overall rating.
- June 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- February 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- July 2012
Report published without a new overall rating.
- May 2011
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 11 May 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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85 live-in carers within about an hour of Lancashire
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 £1,260 a week. 78 can care for a couple. 11 years' experience on average.
“She understands the needs of an elderly person in the early stages of dementia and has treated my mother with great kindness and skill.”
“Thanks to Tracy, Dad was always immaculately dressed and clean, his meals were all home cooked and nutritionally well balanced and his home was always kept really clean and tidy.”
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.