CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at Little Acres
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
What inspectors found, April 2018
Little Acres was rated Good; inspectors found safe, kind and personalised care, with a gap in checks on consent and legal safeguards.
This was an unannounced, comprehensive inspection on 21 February 2018. One inspector spoke with people living there, relatives, staff and managers. They also observed care and checked care records, medicines records and management checks.
The home was rated Good in all five areas: safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led. Inspectors found enough suitable staff, safe medicines arrangements, personalised support and kind relationships. People were supported with choices, health appointments, food, activities and contact with relatives.
The main weakness was in management checks. The home's risk system did not check consent arrangements under the Mental Capacity Act and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards. Managers said they would act on this immediately. The rating stayed Good, and the previous Good rating continued.
Safe care
Inspectors found that staff understood how to recognise and report possible abuse. Risks, medicines, accidents and staffing were managed in a way that kept people safe.
“People were safe and had positive, trusting relationships with staff who understood their needs.” from the report
Kind relationships
People appeared relaxed and happy with staff. Staff treated people as individuals and respected their privacy and dignity.
“At all times, staff demonstrated they respected people's privacy and dignity.” from the report
Personalised support
Care plans reflected people's needs and preferences. People were involved in decisions and supported to enjoy activities, develop skills and remain independent.
“People received personalised care that met their individual needs.” from the report
Communication and choice
Staff used different ways to help people communicate, including signs, pictures and hand tapping. People were supported to have as much choice and control as possible.
“This showed us people were supported to have as much choice and control over their lives as possible.” from the report
Consent checks
needs fixingThe home's risk system did not check whether consent was always sought lawfully. It also did not monitor Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards applications and approvals or review best-interest decisions.
“However, this did not include checking that consent for care was always sought in line with MCA and DoLS legislation.” from the report
- 01How do you now check that consent is sought and recorded for each person's care?
- 02How do you monitor Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards applications and approvals?
- 03How are best-interest decisions reviewed and checked to protect people's rights?
- 04What progress has been made with the planned kitchen refurbishment?
- 05How will you support someone whose end of life care needs change, given this was not covered in the inspection?
This was an unannounced comprehensive inspection covering all five ratings; end of life care was not assessed because the home was not providing it at the time. This explanation was written from the published report of 5 April 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 Little Acres
2 rated inspections over 2 years: the service has held its Good rating throughout.
- April 2018Goodcurrent ratingstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- February 2016GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- October 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- February 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- October 2012
Report published without a new overall rating.
- May 2011
Report published without a new overall rating.
- January 2011
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 20 January 2011.
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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75 live-in carers within about an hour of Nottinghamshire
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 £1,260 a week. 63 can care for a couple. 10 years' experience on average.
“Ernest is an amazing professional carer who delivers care from the heart.”
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.