CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at Home Farm
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
- Safe?
- Good
- Inspectors found suitable safeguarding, risk management, staffing, recruitment and medicines arrangements. Infection prevention and control measures were also in place.
- Effective?
- Good
- People's needs were assessed before admission and reviewed during their stay. Staff were trained and supported, and people were helped with food, exercise, healthcare and decision-making.
- Caring?
- Good
- Inspectors observed respectful and caring interactions. People and, where appropriate, their families were involved in care planning and decisions.
- Responsive?
- Good
- Care plans reflected people's needs, wishes and future goals. The home supported communication needs, family contact, activities and progress towards greater independence.
- Well-led?
- Good
- Inspectors found committed leadership, regular audits, staff supervision and consultation with people and families. The provider had plans for continued improvement.
What inspectors found, August 2021
Rated Good; inspectors found safe, kind and personalised care in this short-stay home.
This was the first inspection since the home registered in 2019. One inspector visited on 4 June 2021, spoke with two people and four staff, and checked care plans, medicines, recruitment files, training and quality records.
The home supported two people with autism or a learning disability at the time. It provides short stays, including respite care and support towards more independent living. Inspectors found suitable staffing, safe medicines systems, infection control and good support from other health and social care professionals.
People were treated with dignity and respect. They were involved in their care plans, decisions, activities and some staff recruitment. Inspectors also found that the home supported people to build independence, keep in touch with relatives and take part in activities.
The home was rated Good in all five areas: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. This means the inspection found good standards overall, but a Good rating is not a guarantee that every part of care will always be perfect.
Respectful care
Inspectors saw staff treating people with dignity, privacy and kindness. People were encouraged to express their views and take part in decisions about their care.
“We observed caring and respectful interactions between staff and people in the service.” from the report
Personalised planning
Care plans included people's needs, wishes and aspirations. The home used easy-read information and supported different communication methods.
“The care file had detailed documentation of health and social care needs.” from the report
Family contact and activities
During the pandemic, the home helped people keep relationships going through calls and video contact, and arranged visits when allowed. People also took part in cooking, sport and craft activities.
“People were supported to use virtual means to maintain relationships.” from the report
Staff training and support
Staff received induction, ongoing training, supervision and appraisal. Inspectors found that staff understood their roles and could access further learning.
“Supervision and appraisal were completed in depth and in detail.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01How will you assess my relative's needs before admission, and how will you update the care plan during a short stay?
- 02How will you support my relative's preferred communication method, including Makaton or other sign language if needed?
- 03What everyday skills and activities could my relative work on to build independence during the stay?
- 04How will you support contact with our family and arrange visits under current infection control rules?
- 05How will medicines be reviewed and supported if my relative takes some or all of them independently?
This was the first full inspection of the newly registered home and covered all five key questions, including infection prevention and control under Safe. This explanation was written from the published report of 18 August 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.
Every inspection of Home Farm
Each visit the CQC has published, newest first, back to the day the home was registered.
- August 2021Goodcurrent ratingSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- October 2019
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 31 October 2019.
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
9 live-in carers within about an hour of Cumberland
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.
8 can care for a couple. 9 years' experience on average.
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.