CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at Matthias House
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
- Safe?
- Good
- People felt safe and staff knew how to protect them. Medicines were managed well and the home was clean.
- Effective?
- Good
- People's needs were assessed before arrival and staff were well trained. People were supported to eat, drink and access healthcare.
- Caring?
- Good
- Staff treated people with kindness and respect. People were involved in decisions and supported to keep their independence.
- Responsive?
- Good
- Care plans were personalised and regularly reviewed. The home was working to improve activities and responded well to any concerns.
- Well-led?
- Good
- The provider and manager were visible and approachable. They used audits and feedback to improve care and supported staff well.
What inspectors found, December 2019
Rated Good; inspectors found safe, kind care with well-led management and ongoing improvements.
Inspectors visited Matthias House unannounced and spoke with people living there, relatives, staff, and professionals. They observed care and reviewed records about people's needs, medicines, and the home's management.
They found people felt safe and were supported by enough trained staff who understood their needs. Medicines were given correctly and the home was clean. Risks were managed well and accidents were recorded and learned from.
People were involved in decisions about their care and treated with kindness and respect. Staff knew people well and supported their independence. The home was improving its environment and planned to add more activities.
The management was open and approachable. They listened to staff and families and used audits to keep improving. The home met legal requirements for consent and safeguarding.
Safe care and staffing
People felt safe and there were enough trained staff to meet their needs.
“People felt safe and were supported by sufficient numbers of safely recruited staff.” from the report
Kind and respectful staff
Staff treated people with dignity and kindness and knew their preferences well.
“Staff treated people with dignity and respect and supported them to make decisions about their day to day living.” from the report
Good management and leadership
The provider and manager were involved daily and open to feedback and improvements.
“The provider was on site every day, overseeing and making improvements to the service.” from the report
Effective healthcare support
People were supported to access healthcare and staff worked well with professionals.
“We have a good relationship with staff and it makes a good basis to get the right care in straight away to be honest.” from the report
Staff knowledge of external safeguarding contacts
minorSome staff were unsure which outside agencies to contact if management was unavailable.
“Staff were unsure which outside agencies they would raise concerns with, should management support not be available.” from the report
Noise from refurbishment
minorSome people were concerned about noise caused by ongoing building work.
“Some people were concerned regarding the level of noise it created in the home.” from the report
Staff awareness of DoLS status
minorStaff were unsure who had Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards in place.
“Staff spoken with had an understanding of MCA and DoLS but were unsure who had a DoLS in place at the home.” from the report
- 01How do you keep staff informed about who has safeguarding concerns and who to contact if management is not available?
- 02What plans do you have to reduce noise from ongoing refurbishment work to avoid disturbing residents?
- 03How do you ensure all staff know which people have Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards in place?
- 04Can you tell me about the activities currently available and when you expect to have an activities coordinator?
- 05How do you involve residents and families in decisions about improvements to the home?
This was a comprehensive inspection covering all key areas of care and management. This explanation was written from the published report of 24 December 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 Matthias House
Each visit the CQC has published, newest first, back to the day the home was registered.
- December 2019Goodcurrent ratingSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- December 2018
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 14 December 2018.
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 Sandwell
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Most charge £950 to £1,190 a week. 87 can care for a couple. 9 years' experience on average.
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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.