CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at Holmfield Care
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
- Safe?
- Good
- People were protected from abuse and avoidable harm. There were enough suitable staff, recruitment checks were completed, and medicines were safely managed, although the medicines room was often above 25°C.
- Effective?
- Good
- Staff had relevant training and people's care needs, nutrition and hydration needs were met. The report also noted worn carpets and chipped paint and recommended a refurbishment plan.
- Caring?
- Good
- Staff were observed to be warm, attentive and respectful. People and families were involved in care decisions, and staff supported people's dignity and independence.
- Responsive?
- Good
- Care plans were personalised and kept up to date. People were supported with communication, activities, relationships, faith and end-of-life wishes.
- Well-led?
- Good
- The home had a positive and open culture, clear management arrangements and quality checks. People, relatives and staff were asked for their views.
What inspectors found, December 2023
Rated Good; inspectors found safe, kind and personalised care, but medicines storage and parts of the building need attention.
This was an unannounced inspection on 21 November 2023. One inspector and an Expert by Experience spoke with people, relatives, staff and a health professional. They reviewed care records, medicines records, recruitment files and management records, and looked around the home.
The home was rated Good in all five areas: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. Inspectors found enough staff, safe recruitment, well-managed medicines, personalised care plans and good support with food, drinks, activities and healthcare.
There were some issues to address. The medicines room was often warmer than 25°C, which could affect some medicines. Parts of the home looked tired, with worn carpets and chipped paint. The CQC recommended a refurbishment plan.
The overall Good rating means the service was meeting the relevant standards and people generally received good care. The previous inspection rating was also Good, published on 6 March 2018.
Enough staff
The report found enough staff to meet people's needs promptly, and recruitment checks were completed before employment.
“There always appears to be plenty of staff on duty.” from the report
Kind and respectful care
Inspectors saw warm interactions. People were treated with dignity and were supported to make choices and remain as independent as possible.
“We observed warm and positive interactions between staff and the people they supported.” from the report
Personalised support
Care plans included people's health needs, life histories, preferences and communication needs. Staff knew about changes in people's care.
“Care plans were personalised and contained information relating to people's physical, emotional and mental health needs, their life histories and preferences.” from the report
Good meals and mealtimes
People had food and drink choices, including alternatives for allergies. Inspectors saw a relaxed and sociable mealtime.
“The mealtime experience was sociable and relaxed.” from the report
Open management
People and staff spoke positively about the management team. The provider used meetings, surveys and quality checks to identify improvements.
“There was a positive and open culture at the service.” from the report
Medicines room too warm
needs fixingThe medicines room was often above 25°C. Some medicines need to be kept below this temperature, so ask what action was taken and whether any medicines were affected.
“The room temperature in the medicines room was warm and often exceeded 25°C.” from the report
Tired parts of the building
minorSome carpets were worn and some paintwork was chipped. The CQC recommended reviewing the environment and putting a refurbishment plan in place.
“Parts of the environment in the home appeared tired, and in need of refurbishment.” from the report
- 01What has been done to keep the medicines room below 25°C, and were any medicines affected by the higher temperature?
- 02What refurbishment work is planned for the worn carpets and chipped paintwork?
- 03What is the timetable for the refurbishment plan recommended by the CQC?
- 04How will you make sure my relative's care plan reflects their preferences, communication needs and any changes in their health?
- 05How are families involved in reviewing care plans and giving feedback about the home?
This was an unannounced inspection covering all five CQC questions, including the care provided and the home environment; all five ratings remained Good. This explanation was written from the published report of 6 December 2023 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, March 2018
Rated Good; inspectors found safe, kind and person-centred care, with two minor safety issues dealt with during the inspection.
Inspectors visited on 12 and 13 December 2017. The first day was unannounced and the second was arranged. They spoke with people and staff, observed care, checked the building and kitchen, and reviewed care, medicines, recruitment and quality records.
The home was rated Good in all five areas: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. Inspectors found enough staff, safe medicines systems, good training, respectful care, detailed care plans, useful activities and effective complaints handling.
The home had improved since the previous inspection in September 2016, when it was rated Requires Improvement. Inspectors found no regulatory breaches at this inspection. They identified a high medicines-fridge temperature and damaged window restrictors, but both issues were dealt with during the visit.
Kind and respectful care
Inspectors saw staff giving people time, encouragement and explanations. Staff appeared to know people well and understood their personalities.
“Staff talked to people with kindness and encouragement and this clearly brought out the best in people.” from the report
Person-centred care plans
Care records included personal information, preferences and guidance about how best to support each person. Reviews were completed regularly or when needs changed.
“Care planning was thorough and person-centred. People were involved in reviews and decisions about their care.” from the report
Good staff training
New staff shadowed experienced workers and completed the Care Certificate. Training records were up to date and staff received regular supervision and appraisals.
“People living at Holmfield are cared for by staff who were well trained and competent to carry out their roles.” from the report
Support with food and drink
People had individual food profiles and regular nutrition checks. Inspectors saw unhurried support and food that was adapted for people needing special diets.
“Special attention was also given to people who required a soft or pureed diet and care was taken to ensure the food resembled portions” from the report
Open management
The management team was visible and staff felt able to raise concerns and suggest improvements. Regular audits covered medicines, accidents, care plans and the environment.
“The ethos and culture within the home was open, honest and transparent.” from the report
Medicines fridge temperature
needs fixingThe temperature of the medicines fridge was too high when checked. The home acted to correct this during the inspection.
“The treatment room where medicines were stored was on the ground floor. The ambient room temperate was within a normal range but we found the temperate of the medicines fridge to be high.” from the report
Window restrictors
needs fixingRestrictors on some upper-floor windows did not meet the required legal standard. New restrictors were fitted during the inspection and the other upper-floor windows were risk assessed.
“The integrity of window restrictors on a set of upper floor stained glass windows had been compromised and did not meet the required legal standard.” from the report
- 01How do you now check and record the temperature of the medicines fridge?
- 02Have all window restrictors been checked and maintained since the inspection?
- 03How do you decide whether staffing levels remain enough when people's needs increase?
- 04How often will my relative's care plan and risk assessments be reviewed?
- 05What activities and one-to-one personal time would be available for my relative?
This was a two-day inspection covering all five CQC questions, the premises and the care provided. This explanation was written from the published report of 7 March 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 Holmfield Care
3 rated inspections over 7 years: the service has improved, from Requires improvement to Good.
- December 2023Goodcurrent ratingstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- March 2018Goodup from Requires improvementSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- December 2016Requires improvementSafe: Requires improvementEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Requires improvement
- February 2014
Report published without a new overall rating.
- August 2012
Report published without a new overall rating.
- March 2012
Report published without a new overall rating.
- November 2010
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 11 November 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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