CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at Meadowfields Care Home
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
- Safe?
- Good
- People told inspectors they felt safe. Risks were assessed and managed, there were enough staff, medicines were handled safely and infection control arrangements were suitable.
- Effective?
- Good
- This area was not inspected during this focused visit. The previous rating was used in calculating the overall rating.
- Caring?
- Good
- This area was not inspected during this focused visit. The previous rating was used in calculating the overall rating.
- Responsive?
- Good
- This area was not inspected during this focused visit. The previous rating was used in calculating the overall rating.
- Well-led?
- Good
- Inspectors found a positive culture, approachable management and regular checks on quality and risks. Staff said they felt supported and involved.
What inspectors found, September 2021
Meadowfields Care Home is rated Good; inspectors found people were safe and the home was well managed.
This was an unannounced, focused inspection on 1 September 2021. Three inspectors spoke with people, relatives and staff, and reviewed care, medicines, recruitment and management records.
The home was rated Good for Safe and Well-led. Inspectors found enough staff, safe medicines systems, suitable infection control and good management of risks, including risks linked to the environment.
The inspection followed concerns about falls from height after a person sustained a serious injury. The circumstances of that incident were not examined because they were subject to a criminal investigation. Inspectors found no evidence that people were at ongoing risk of harm from this concern.
The overall rating remained Good. The other three areas were not inspected at this visit, so their previous ratings were used in calculating the overall rating.
People felt safe
People and relatives said they felt safe. Staff were trained to recognise and report abuse, and risks were assessed and managed.
“People felt safe. They were supported by trained staff who knew how to protect them from abuse and avoidable harm.” from the report
Safe staffing
Inspectors found enough staff to meet people's needs safely. The manager regularly reviewed dependency levels and checked staffing in practice.
“People told us, and we observed there were enough staff to safely meet people's needs and that people did not have to wait for support.” from the report
Medicines managed safely
People received their medicines when needed. There were clear storage, timing and as-required medicine procedures.
“Medicines were stored safely and there were clear systems and procedures in place to ensure people got their medicines at the correct times.” from the report
Approachable management
People and relatives knew the manager and found them approachable. Inspectors saw the manager spending time with people and supporting staff.
“There was a positive and inclusive culture within the home, where staff and the registered manager knew people well and catered for their preferences.” from the report
Quality checks
The manager carried out regular audits and acted when issues were found. The provider showed a commitment to learning and improving care.
“The registered manager completed thorough and regular quality checks.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01How are risks linked to falls from height currently assessed, checked and reviewed?
- 02How do you review staffing levels when people's needs or dependency change?
- 03How are medicines, including as-required medicines, checked to make sure they are given as prescribed?
- 04What improvements to the physical environment are planned, and when will they be completed?
- 05How can relatives access and contribute to their family member's care plan?
This was a focused inspection of Safe and Well-led only; Effective, Caring and Responsive were not inspected and their previous ratings were used for the overall rating. This explanation was written from the published report of 30 September 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, January 2021
Inspected but not rated; inspectors were assured about infection prevention and control measures.
This was an announced, targeted inspection on 09 December 2020. It looked at infection prevention and control because of coronavirus outbreaks in care homes.
Inspectors were assured that the home managed visitors, social distancing, admissions, protective equipment, testing, cleaning and outbreaks safely. The home also had an up-to-date infection prevention and control policy.
The inspection did not give an overall rating. The Safe question was recorded as inspected but not rated, and the other areas were not assessed in this visit.
Safer visiting
The home had a visiting policy shared with relatives and a visiting hub with a clear screen and intercom.
“A visiting policy and procedure was in place which had been shared with relatives.” from the report
Keeping families connected
When visits were restricted, people could use video calls, telephone calls and letters. Relatives also received regular updates.
“When visits had been restricted other methods of communication were used to ensure people continued to have contact with their loved ones such as, video/telephone calls and letter writing.” from the report
Clean environment
Inspectors found the environment clean and well maintained, with extra cleaning to reduce the risk of infections spreading.
“The environment was well maintained and clean. Additional cleaning had been implemented to lower the risk of cross transmission.” from the report
Outbreak planning
The manager tested how isolation would affect people and used the learning to improve isolation and staff arrangements.
“The registered manager had carried out a 'trial isolation' to assess how this affected people, ensuring lessons were learnt.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01What are the home's current arrangements for visitors and infection prevention?
- 02What has changed since the targeted inspection on 09 December 2020?
- 03When was the home's latest full inspection, and what were its overall and five-question ratings?
- 04How does the home manage testing, protective equipment and isolation if someone has an infection?
- 05How will relatives be kept in contact with residents if visits are restricted again?
This was a targeted inspection of infection prevention and control practices, with Safe inspected but not rated; the other areas were not assessed. This explanation was written from the published report of 14 January 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.
Every inspection of Meadowfields Care Home
5 rated inspections over 6 years: the service has held its Good rating throughout.
- September 2021Goodcurrent ratingSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- January 2021Inspected but not ratedSafe: Inspected but not rated
- July 2019Goodup from Requires improvementSafe: GoodWell-led: Good
- January 2019Requires improvementstayed Requires improvementSafe: Requires improvementEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Requires improvement
- June 2017Requires improvementdown from GoodSafe: Requires improvementEffective: Requires improvementCaring: Requires improvementResponsive: Requires improvementWell-led: Requires improvement
- November 2015GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Requires improvement
- April 2015
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 1 April 2015.
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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