CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at Hillside Lodge
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
- Safe?
- Good
- The person was protected from avoidable harm, and staff understood risks, safeguarding, medicines and infection control. Staffing levels and recruitment were judged to match the person’s needs.
- Effective?
- Good
- Care planning was personalised and staff had relevant induction, ongoing and specialist training. Staff worked with health and social care professionals, although professionals said communication had not always been effective in the past and had improved under new management.
- Caring?
- Good
- Staff treated the person with warmth, dignity and respect. They supported the person’s preferred communication, privacy, independence and contact with important people.
- Responsive?
- Good
- Staff understood the person’s changing needs and supported their chosen activities, interests and daily living skills. Communication tools and detailed guidance helped staff understand what the person was expressing.
- Well-led?
- Requires improvement
- Staff worked well as a team and the current manager was visible and approachable. However, the home had no registered manager in post, despite having a registration condition requiring one, and no application was in place.
What inspectors found, October 2022
Rated Good overall; inspectors found kind, safe and personalised care, but the home’s leadership required improvement because there was no registered manager.
This was the home’s first inspection since it registered in May 2021. Inspectors gathered information from health and social care professionals, spoke with staff and management, and reviewed care, medicines, recruitment, training and quality records. They visited on 25 July 2022, with inspection activity taking place from 20 July to 9 August 2022.
The report describes care for one person with learning disabilities and autism. Staff knew the person well, supported their communication and choices, helped them access activities and healthcare, and treated them with respect. The environment was safe, clean and adapted to the person’s needs.
The overall rating was Good. Safe, Effective, Caring and Responsive were all rated Good. Well-led was rated Requires Improvement because the registered manager had left in September 2021 and no new registered manager application was in place.
Kind, respectful care
Staff focused on the person’s dignity, emotions and individual needs. They built a good relationship and treated the person as an equal.
“We observed staff showing warmth and respect when interacting with the person.” from the report
Personalised support
Care plans reflected the person’s health, communication, preferences and skills. Staff adjusted support when the person was distressed or having a difficult day.
“The person's care and support plan was personalised, and reflected a good understanding of their holistic needs, including medical, psychological, functional, communication, preferences and skills.” from the report
Skilled and consistent staff
Staff received training tailored to the person’s needs, including communication and autism awareness. Low staff turnover and high staffing levels meant the person was supported by people they knew.
“Staff turnover was very low, which supported the person to receive consistent care from staff who knew them well.” from the report
Good communication support
Staff used personalised communication methods, including objects, photographs, gestures and an action communication board. Records explained how to interpret the person’s body language and gestures.
“Staff were trained and skilled in using personalised communication systems.” from the report
Activities and community access
Staff supported the person to take part in regular activities and interests, including walks, games, exercise, music and dance. They were also introducing new activities.
“Staff encouraged and supported the person to participate in their chosen social and leisure interests on a regular basis; especially going for a walk, playing games and exercising to keep fit.” from the report
No registered manager
needs fixingThe home did not have a registered manager, even though its registration required one. No application was in place at the time of inspection, which limited the well-led rating.
“With no registered manager application in place, this has limited the rating given to requires improvement for well-led.” from the report
Earlier management concerns
needs fixingHealth and social care professionals had lost confidence in some interim management arrangements since September 2021. They felt communication had improved under the current leadership.
“Feedback from professionals showed they had lost confidence in some of the interim management arrangements put in place since September 2021.” from the report
- 01Who is currently responsible for managing the home, and when will the registered manager application be made?
- 02What has been done to address professionals’ earlier concerns about interim management arrangements?
- 03How will you make sure the person continues to be supported by a consistent staff team if agency staff are needed?
- 04How do staff use the person’s communication tools and behaviour support plan on a typical day?
- 05How do you review medicines, including as-needed medicines, and support the person’s independence?
This was the first comprehensive inspection of the newly registered home, covering all five key questions and infection prevention and control measures. This explanation was written from the published report of 6 October 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 Hillside Lodge
Each visit the CQC has published, newest first, back to the day the home was registered.
- October 2022Goodcurrent ratingSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Requires improvement
- May 2021
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 4 May 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.
Weigh the report against the rest
Fees, photos and reviews from families
How to read CQC ratings and reports
What to check when you visit
35 live-in carers within about an hour of Essex
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. 25 can care for a couple. 10 years' experience on average.
“Not only was she professional, polite and efficient but she bought a lovely smile and laughter to my parents home.”
“She brought fun and stimulation into mums life.”
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.