CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at Merlin's Barrow
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
- Safe?
- Requires improvement
- Inspectors were assured that the home was preventing infections, using protective equipment safely, carrying out testing and keeping its infection-control policy up to date. They were also told that measures were in place to manage 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
Merlin's Barrow was inspected but not rated; inspectors found good infection-control arrangements during a targeted COVID-19 visit.
Inspectors visited on 24 February 2022. The visit was announced, with 24 hours' notice. It was a targeted inspection of infection prevention, visiting arrangements and staffing pressures linked to COVID-19.
Inspectors were assured that the home was using protective equipment safely, carrying out testing, managing visiting and keeping its infection-control policy up to date. They also found the home clean and saw staff using protective equipment effectively.
People were supported to understand how to stay safe and to keep in touch with family and friends. The service was inspected but not rated, so this report does not give an overall quality rating.
Infection control
The home had arrangements for screening visitors, providing protective equipment, cleaning frequent-touch areas and carrying out COVID-19 testing.
“We were assured that the provider was preventing visitors from catching and spreading infections.” from the report
Staff practice
Staff had infection-control training and their knowledge and competence were checked regularly. Inspectors saw protective equipment being used effectively.
“Staff competence and knowledge was regularly assessed.” from the report
Clean environment
Inspectors found that extra cleaning of frequently touched areas had been introduced and that all areas were clean.
“Additional cleaning measures of frequent touch points had been introduced in the home.” from the report
Keeping people connected
The home supported people to maintain relationships with family and friends, including through video services.
“People were supported to maintain relationships with family and friends.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01What measures are currently in place if COVID-19 causes staffing pressures?
- 02How are visitors screened and supported to use protective equipment now?
- 03How often are staff trained and checked on infection prevention and the safe use of protective equipment?
- 04How are COVID-19 testing arrangements for residents and staff managed now?
- 05How does the home check vaccination or exemption status for staff and visiting professionals?
This was a targeted inspection of infection prevention, visiting arrangements and COVID-19-related staffing pressures; the service was inspected but not rated overall. This explanation was written from the published report of 9 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, July 2018
Rated Good overall, but safe care Requires Improvement because fire extinguisher training and worn carpets needed attention.
Inspectors made an unannounced, comprehensive inspection visit on 25 June 2018. They spoke with people living in the home, relatives, staff and the home manager. They also checked care plans, staff files, medicines, complaints, incidents and management records.
The home was rated Good overall. Care was rated Good for Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. People were described as receiving kind, person-centred support, with help to make choices, stay independent, access healthcare and take part in activities.
Safe was rated Requires Improvement. Staff had not been trained to use fire extinguishers for seven months after a fire safety recommendation. Worn carpets had also been identified for some time and could cause trips. The report says training had been arranged for July 2018, but the carpet replacement had no set completion date.
A Good overall rating means inspectors found the service met the relevant standards overall, but it did not meet the standard for safe care fully at this inspection.
Kind and respectful support
People described staff as kind and nice. Inspectors saw positive interactions and found that people's privacy and independence were respected.
“We saw and heard many positive interactions between people using the service and staff.” from the report
Personalised care
People helped shape their care plans, routines, meals and activities. Plans recorded individual choices, preferences and ways to reduce known risks.
“People were actively involved in their care plans.” from the report
Healthcare support
People were supported to attend appointments and receive ongoing healthcare. The home worked with the community learning disabilities team.
“People were supported to access ongoing health care.” from the report
Positive management culture
People, relatives and staff spoke positively about the management team. Inspectors found an open culture and systems for seeking feedback.
“There was a positive open culture at the service.” from the report
Fire extinguisher training
seriousStaff had not received training in using fire extinguishers for seven months after this was recommended in a fire inspection. Training had been arranged, but inspectors could not confirm it had happened.
“This meant that for a seven month period staff were not trained to use fire extinguishers.” from the report
Worn carpets
needs fixingWorn areas on the stairs and in bedrooms could cause trips. The issue had been identified in audits since September 2017, but there was no fixed date for replacement.
“some areas of the stair carpet were worn and there was a risk these could be a trip hazard.” from the report
Staff continuity
needs fixingRelatives reported many staff changes and less continuity than before. The home was using bank and agency staff while recruiting permanent workers.
“There have been so many staff changes lately that I never know who's going to answer the door when I visit.” from the report
Open action deadlines
minorSome actions in the provider's quality plans were still ongoing and had no deadlines, including the carpet replacement and fire extinguisher training.
“some actions were ongoing and no deadlines had been set.” from the report
End-of-life planning
minorNo advance plans were in place to record people's choices about end-of-life care. The home said it would discuss this with staff and relatives.
“There were no advanced plans in place. These are plans which detail people's choices around how and where they want to be cared for at the end of their lives, including any special wishes they might have.” from the report
- 01Has every member of staff now completed practical fire extinguisher training, and how is their competence checked?
- 02Have the worn stair and bedroom carpets been replaced, and what is the current completion date?
- 03How are you reducing the impact of staff changes and agency or bank staff on continuity of care?
- 04Have advance plans about people's end-of-life choices now been discussed and recorded?
- 05How do you make sure actions from audits have clear deadlines and are completed?
This was an unannounced comprehensive inspection covering all five key questions, with records, care, staffing, premises and management systems examined. This explanation was written from the published report of 25 July 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 Merlin's Barrow
2 rated inspections over 2 years: the service has held its Good rating throughout.
- March 2022Inspected but not ratedcurrent ratingSafe: Inspected but not rated
- July 2018Goodstayed GoodSafe: Requires improvementEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- March 2016GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- January 2014
Report published without a new overall rating.
- March 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- December 2011
Report published without a new overall rating.
- January 2011
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 12 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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