CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at Linden House
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
- Safe?
- Good
- Inspectors were assured that the home was using PPE safely, arranging testing, managing visits and admissions, and keeping its infection prevention and control policy up to date. They also found measures to reduce the effect of COVID-19-related staffing pressures.
- Effective?
- Good
- Does the care work? Training, consent, food and drink, working with GPs and nurses.
- Caring?
- Good
- Are people treated with kindness and dignity?
- Responsive?
- Good
- Is care built around the person? Care plans, activities, complaints.
- Well-led?
- Good
- Is the home run well? The manager, the culture, how problems get found and fixed.
What inspectors found, March 2022
Inspected but not rated; inspectors found good infection control during a recent COVID-19 outbreak.
This was a targeted inspection on 3 March 2022. Inspectors looked mainly at infection prevention and control, and asked about staffing pressures linked to COVID-19. The visit was announced one hour beforehand.
The home had recently experienced a COVID-19 outbreak. Non-essential visits had been stopped during the outbreak, while people were supported to keep in touch by telephone and video calls. By the inspection, visits had restarted safely.
Inspectors found screening, testing, cleaning, protective equipment and infection control training in place. They were assured that the home was managing infection risks, admissions, visiting and staffing pressures.
The service was inspected but not rated. This was not a full assessment of all five areas of care, so the report does not give a new overall quality rating.
Infection control
The home had cleaning arrangements for frequently touched areas, and staff were observed using PPE appropriately.
“Enhanced cleaning schedules included regular cleaning of touch areas such as handrails and door handles.” from the report
Staff training and testing
Staff had infection control training and competency checks. People living in the home and staff had regular COVID-19 testing.
“Staff received training in infection prevent and control and the use of PPE and handwashing.” from the report
Contact with relatives
During the outbreak, people could keep in touch through telephone and video calls. Visits had restarted safely by the inspection.
“People were supported to contact their relatives and friends through video calls and telephone calls during this time.” from the report
Preparedness
The home had updated infection control guidance and individual risk assessments linked to COVID-19.
“Proactive measures were in place to keep people and staff safe.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01What arrangements are currently in place for visits, and what would happen if there was another COVID-19 outbreak?
- 02How do you check that staff continue to use PPE and follow handwashing and infection control procedures?
- 03How often are people living in the home and staff tested when there is a suspected infection or outbreak?
- 04How are COVID-19-related staffing pressures managed, and could they affect the care provided?
- 05How do you support residents to keep in contact with relatives if visits have to stop?
This was a targeted inspection of infection prevention and control and COVID-19-related staffing pressures; it did not provide ratings for the other areas of care. This explanation was written from the published report of 26 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, November 2019
Linden House was rated Good; inspectors found safe, kind and personalised care, with a few minor improvements still being considered.
This was an unannounced inspection on 17 October 2019. Inspectors spoke with seven people and four staff. They reviewed care records, medicines records, staff recruitment and supervision files, and management records.
All five areas were rated Good: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. People said they felt safe, staff responded promptly, and care was kind, respectful and personalised.
Inspectors found suitable checks on staff, safe medicines arrangements, clean areas, staff training and good support with food, healthcare and communication. People were involved in decisions and enjoyed activities and time with staff.
The home was already rated Good at the previous inspection, published in May 2017. Inspectors noted that radiator guards were still being obtained and that a duty of candour policy was going to be developed.
People felt safe
People said staff responded quickly, including at night. Inspectors saw staff available to provide care without appearing rushed.
“I have to get up three or four times at night for the loo, staff come quickly.” from the report
Kind and respectful staff
Staff spent time with people and supported their privacy, dignity, independence and personal choices.
“Everyone we spoke with told us staff had time to spend with them and we observed staff spent quality time with people without any care being rushed.” from the report
Personalised care
Staff knew people's lives, interests, routines and preferences. People were supported to choose how they spent their time.
“We observed staff provided responsive and personalised care.” from the report
Good health and food support
People received suitable food and drinks, including modified textures where needed. Staff worked with healthcare professionals and followed specialist advice.
“Records showed advice from other healthcare professionals had been included in people's care plans.” from the report
Radiator guards were not yet in place
minorThe risk from hot surface radiators had been identified, but guards were still being obtained to reduce the risk of scalding.
“Risks from hot surface radiators had been identified and the provider was in the process of obtaining radiator guards to reduce any risk from scalding.” from the report
No written duty of candour policy
needs fixingThe home did not have a policy explaining its commitment to being open and honest when things went wrong. It told inspectors that it would develop one.
“The provider did not have a policy outlining their commitment to the duty of candour, however they told us they would develop a policy in this area to support their work.” from the report
- 01Have the radiator guards mentioned in the report now been obtained and fitted?
- 02Was the duty of candour policy developed after the inspection, and how are families told when something goes wrong?
- 03How are staffing levels reviewed as residents' needs change, including overnight?
- 04How would the home provide end-of-life care if a resident needed it?
- 05How are residents' views about meals, activities and care reviewed and acted on now?
This was an unannounced inspection covering all five CQC areas, including the premises and care provided; the previous overall rating was Good, published on 13 May 2017. This explanation was written from the published report of 23 November 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 Linden House
3 rated inspections over 4 years: the service has improved, from Requires improvement to Good.
- March 2022Inspected but not ratedcurrent ratingSafe: Inspected but not rated
- November 2019Goodstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- May 2017Goodup from Requires improvementSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- May 2016Requires improvementSafe: Requires improvementEffective: Requires improvementCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Requires improvement
- June 2014
Report published without a new overall rating.
- January 2014
Report published without a new overall rating.
- May 2013
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 24 May 2013.
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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78 live-in carers within about an hour of Derby
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. 62 can care for a couple. 12 years' experience on average.
“We particularly appreciate the companionship Dawn gives in the evenings when she plays cards and Scrabble with my mother.”
“Rachel is a quietly spoken, extremely caring person and looked after Val very well.”
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.