CQC report explained · a nursing home
What the CQC found at Knowle Gate Care Home
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
- Safe?
- Good
- Inspectors were assured that infection prevention and control arrangements were in place, including PPE, testing, cleaning, social distancing and outbreak management.
- Effective?
- Good
- This area was not assessed in this targeted inspection.
- Caring?
- Good
- This area was not assessed in this targeted inspection.
- Responsive?
- Good
- This area was not assessed in this targeted inspection.
- Well-led?
- Good
- This area was not assessed in this targeted inspection.
What inspectors found, October 2020
Inspected but not rated; inspectors were assured about Knowle Gate Care Home's infection prevention and control arrangements.
This was an announced, targeted inspection on 14 October 2020. It looked only at infection prevention and control during the coronavirus pandemic.
Inspectors were assured that the home had arrangements for visitors, social distancing, shielding, admissions, personal protective equipment, testing, cleaning and managing outbreaks.
The home used a visitor code of conduct, a Perspex screen and tablets to help people stay connected with relatives. It also provided transport and wellbeing support for staff.
The service was inspected but not rated. This means the report does not give an overall quality rating or ratings for most areas of care.
Infection control
Inspectors were assured that the home had measures to prevent and manage infection, including safe use of PPE and access to testing.
“We were assured that the provider was using PPE effectively and safely.” from the report
Keeping in touch
The home used a screen during some visits and bought tablets so people could speak with relatives and other important people.
“Computer tablets had been purchased to help people keep in touch with others who were important to them.” from the report
Staff support
The home provided free transport for some staff and held wellbeing sessions during the pandemic.
“Wellbeing sessions had been held with staff.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01What infection prevention and control arrangements are in place now, and how have they changed since the inspection on 14 October 2020?
- 02How are visits managed now, including any visitor rules, screening or social distancing arrangements?
- 03How do you support residents to keep in touch with relatives if visits are restricted?
- 04How often are staff tested, and what happens if a resident or staff member tests positive?
- 05What recent inspection or assessment covers care quality areas that this targeted inspection did not assess?
This was a targeted inspection of infection prevention and control during the coronavirus pandemic; it did not rate the other key questions or give an overall quality rating. This explanation was written from the published report of 29 October 2020 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 2020
Knowle Gate Care Home rated Good; inspectors found safe, kind and personalised care, but staff vacancies were causing some unsettled feelings.
This was an unannounced, planned inspection on 5 February 2020. Inspectors spoke with people living at the home, relatives and staff. They observed care and checked care plans, medicine records, recruitment files, rotas and quality checks.
The home was rated Good in all five areas: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. Inspectors found people were protected from harm, received their medicines safely, had access to health professionals and were treated with dignity and respect.
People enjoyed the food and activities. Staff supported people's choices, relationships and independence. Complaints were investigated, and the management team was described as open, organised and committed to improving care.
The home had some staff vacancies. A small number of regular agency staff were being used while recruitment continued. Some people and relatives felt care would improve when the vacancies were filled. The previous overall rating was also Good.
People felt safe
Safeguarding procedures, risk assessments and staff knowledge helped protect people from harm. Falls were monitored and staffing was increased at a time when falls were more common.
“People continued to feel safe and the provider's safeguarding procedures protected them from harm.” from the report
Kind and respectful care
People were treated with dignity and respect. Staff supported privacy, personal choices, equality and independence.
“People felt staff were kind and caring. Relatives shared this view point.” from the report
Good activities and relationships
People could join group activities or receive one-to-one support. They were helped to keep in touch with important people and build community links.
“People were happy with the range of social activities and events available to occupy their time.” from the report
Open management
The management team used meetings, feedback and quality checks to monitor care and make improvements.
“Good governance was embedded. The effective quality assurance systems quickly identified and addressed any areas that fell below the provider's expectation.” from the report
Staff vacancies
needs fixingThere were vacancies and some agency staff were being used. Some people and relatives felt this affected consistency and found the recent changes unsettling.
“Some people and some relatives felt the care provided would be improved when all of the staff vacancies had been filled.” from the report
Care records still being personalised
minorCare records contained enough information for staff to provide person-centred care, but the home was still working to add more personal detail.
“The registered manager explained they were in the process of adding further information to improve the personalisation of care records.” from the report
- 01How many staff vacancies remain, and how many permanent staff are now working in the home?
- 02How do you make sure agency staff know each person's needs and preferences?
- 03What further personal information has been added to care records since the inspection?
- 04What changes followed the introduction of the electronic medication management system?
- 05How are falls and staffing levels monitored now, especially during the early evening?
This was a planned, unannounced inspection covering all five CQC questions and both the care provided and the home environment. This explanation was written from the published report of 12 March 2020 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 Knowle Gate Care Home
2 rated inspections over 3 years: the service has held its Good rating throughout.
- October 2020Inspected but not ratedcurrent ratingSafe: Inspected but not rated
- March 2020Goodstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- August 2017GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- May 2017
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 3 May 2017.
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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What to check when you visit
At least 100 live-in carers within about an hour of Solihull
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 £1,250 a week. 78 can care for a couple. 9 years' experience on average.
“If you bump into her in the night on her way to the bathroom she will still inquire how you are and if everything is alright.”
“I have never met a person who is so kind and thinks about others before himself to such an extent as Chris Malagala.”
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.