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 about infection prevention and control, including visitors, PPE, testing, cleaning, social distancing and outbreak management.
- Effective?
- Good
- This question was not assessed in this targeted inspection.
- Caring?
- Good
- This question was not assessed in this targeted inspection.
- Responsive?
- Good
- This question was not assessed in this targeted inspection.
- Well-led?
- Outstanding
- This question was not assessed in this targeted inspection.
What inspectors found, April 2021
Linden House: a targeted inspection found strong infection-control arrangements, but the service was inspected but not rated.
The CQC carried out an announced, targeted inspection on 19 March 2021. It looked at infection prevention and control during the coronavirus pandemic.
Inspectors were assured that the home had suitable arrangements for visitors, personal protective equipment, testing, cleaning, social distancing and managing outbreaks. They also saw steps to support residents' wellbeing and keep people living with dementia safe during isolation.
This was not a full inspection of the home. The service was inspected but not rated, so this report does not give a new overall rating or ratings for the other four questions.
Safer visiting
The home created a separate, heated visiting area with two entrances and a screen. Visitor checks included a health questionnaire, temperature checks and lateral flow testing.
“Extensive effort had been made by the home to accommodate visits in a safe way.” from the report
Infection controls
Inspectors were assured that the home used PPE safely, provided testing, followed social distancing rules and had suitable arrangements for preventing and managing outbreaks.
“We were assured that the provider was making sure infection outbreaks can be effectively prevented or managed.” from the report
Cleaning and supplies
The home used cleaning schedules for frequently touched areas and maintained supplies of PPE during the pandemic.
“Thorough cleaning schedules had been implemented in response to the pandemic.” from the report
Support during isolation
During an outbreak, staff used activities to help keep people living with dementia safe. The home also arranged video calls so residents could stay in contact with relatives.
“The wellbeing of people living in the home had been prioritised.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01How are visitor health questionnaires, temperature checks and lateral flow tests managed now?
- 02How often are high-touch areas and the visiting area cleaned?
- 03How would you support my relative if there was an infection outbreak or a period of isolation?
- 04How do you maintain supplies of PPE and access to testing?
- 05What infection-control training and wellbeing support do staff receive now?
This was an announced targeted inspection of infection prevention and control only; the service was inspected but not rated and the other four questions were not assessed. This explanation was written from the published report of 7 April 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.
What inspectors found, November 2019
Rated Good overall, with Outstanding leadership; inspectors found kind, personalised care and safe systems.
Inspectors made an unannounced visit on 12 September 2019. They spoke with five people, six relatives and five staff. They checked care records, medicines, staff files, accidents, meetings and the home's quality checks.
The home was rated Good for Safe, Effective, Caring and Responsive. Inspectors found enough suitable staff, safe medicines systems, good care planning and kind staff who respected people's choices, dignity and independence.
Well-led was rated Outstanding. Inspectors found strong leadership, excellent teamwork and unusually good involvement of people and relatives in decisions, activities and refurbishment. The overall rating stayed Good, while Effective improved from Requires Improvement at the previous inspection in February 2017.
Exceptional leadership
The management team created a strong, open culture where people were central to decisions. Staff felt valued and were encouraged to suggest improvements.
“The service was extremely well-led by a management team who worked closely together to ensure people were at the heart of everything they did.” from the report
Kind and respectful care
People and relatives described staff as caring and respectful. Staff knew people's histories, preferences and needs well.
“Relatives consistently told us that staff were kind and caring.” from the report
Involvement and activities
People helped shape the refurbishment and could choose from varied activities, trips and community links.
“People had been involved in the plans for the refurbishment.” from the report
Clean and safe environment
The home was very clean and inspectors observed good infection control. Medicines records checked by inspectors had no unexplained gaps.
“The home was exceptionally clean and fresh.” from the report
Pending liberty safeguard assessments
needs fixingNine people had applications waiting to be assessed by the local authority. Ask how these applications have progressed and how people's rights are being protected while they wait.
“At the time of inspection nine people had a DoLS application submitted but had yet to be assessed by the local authority.” from the report
End of life plans
minorThe report says end of life sections existed in care plans, but the home planned to revisit them and complete new plans for everyone.
“The registered manager told us that this would be revisited with people with a view to completing new end of life plans for every person.” from the report
- 01What is the current position of the nine DoLS applications that were waiting for local authority assessment?
- 02How do you check that people's rights and choices are protected while a DoLS application is waiting?
- 03Have new end of life plans now been completed for every person, and how are families involved?
- 04How are people's individual food, communication and health needs recorded and shared with staff?
- 05What changes have been made since the refurbishment and the inspection in September 2019?
This was an unannounced planned inspection that looked at the overall quality of the care home and all five CQC questions. This explanation was written from the published report of 6 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.
- April 2021Inspected but not ratedcurrent ratingSafe: Inspected but not rated
- November 2019Goodstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Outstanding
- February 2017Goodup from Requires improvementSafe: GoodEffective: Requires improvementCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- February 2016Requires improvementSafe: Requires improvementEffective: Requires improvementCaring: Requires improvementResponsive: Requires improvementWell-led: Requires improvement
- March 2014
Report published without a new overall rating.
- October 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- August 2012
Report published without a new overall rating.
- February 2012
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 28 February 2012.
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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