CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at Murton Grange
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
- Safe?
- Good
- People were protected from abuse and avoidable harm. Staff managed risks, staffing, medicines, infection control and incidents safely.
- Effective?
- Good
- This question was not inspected during this visit, so its previous rating was used in calculating the overall rating.
- Caring?
- Good
- This question was not inspected during this visit, so its previous rating was used in calculating the overall rating.
- Responsive?
- Outstanding
- Support was exceptionally personalised and flexible. Staff helped people improve their wellbeing, independence, relationships, communication and access to activities.
- Well-led?
- Good
- The management team created a positive, open and improvement-focused culture. Governance systems helped monitor quality, manage risks and protect people's rights.
What inspectors found, July 2023
Rated Good; inspectors found exceptionally responsive, safe and well-managed care, with strong support for people's independence and quality of life.
The home provides personal care for up to 10 autistic people and people with learning disabilities. There were 10 people living there at the inspection. One inspector visited without notice on 29 March and 3 April 2023, with further information received on 13 April.
Inspectors spoke with people, relatives, staff and professionals. They observed how staff supported people and checked care records, medicines records, recruitment files, meetings and quality checks. They found people were safe, medicines were managed safely, and staff understood people's needs well.
The home was rated Outstanding for being responsive. Inspectors found highly personalised support that helped people become more independent, take part in activities, maintain family relationships and achieve personal goals. Safe and well-led were rated Good. The overall rating remained Good, while the ratings for effective and caring were carried forward because they were not inspected.
Personalised support
Staff knew people very well and adapted support to their individual needs, wishes and goals. This helped people make significant progress and improve their quality of life.
“People received exceptionally responsive support from dedicated, highly motivated and compassionate staff.” from the report
Independence and choice
People were supported to make choices, try new activities, use public transport, visit family and develop everyday skills.
“People were encouraged and motivated to reach their goals and aspirations.” from the report
Positive behaviour support
Personalised plans gave staff clear guidance about distress and how to support people in the least restrictive way. Staff worked with other professionals to reduce distressed behaviour.
“People had personalised and tailored positive behaviour support (PBS) plans which met their individual needs.” from the report
Safe care and management
Staffing matched people's needs, medicines were managed safely, and managers investigated incidents and shared learning.
“People were supported by a stable staff team which provided a consistently high standard of care and support.” from the report
Size of the home
minorInspectors noted that the home is larger than what is usually considered practicable for person-centred care for autistic people and people with learning disabilities. They nevertheless found that it met the relevant principles during this inspection.
“Murton Grange is larger than what is usually considered practicable to provide person-centred care and support for autistic people and people with learning disabilities.” from the report
- 01How would you support my relative's individual communication needs, including if they cannot communicate verbally?
- 02How would you support my relative to develop independence and take part in activities they choose?
- 03How are positive behaviour support plans kept up to date when someone's needs or behaviour changes?
- 04How would you help my relative maintain contact with family if visits became difficult?
- 05What arrangements would be made if my relative needed end-of-life care?
This was a focused inspection of Safe and Well-led, with Responsive added after inspectors identified exceptional practice; Effective and Caring were not inspected and their previous ratings carried over. This explanation was written from the published report of 14 July 2023 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, September 2022
Murton Grange was inspected but not rated; inspectors found good infection control and plans for staffing pressures.
This was an announced, targeted inspection on 28 July 2022. Inspectors looked at infection prevention and control, visiting arrangements and whether COVID-19 staffing pressures affected people. They also reviewed records and spoke with the provider.
Inspectors found that the home had assessed COVID-19 risks, used personal protective equipment properly and kept the building clean. Visiting by relatives followed government guidance. The home also had plans to maintain staffing, including occasional support from local services.
The service was inspected but not rated. This means the report gives findings about the areas checked, but it does not give a new overall quality rating or a full rating for all five areas of care.
COVID-19 risk management
The home had identified and assessed COVID-19 risks and had measures in place to reduce them for people, staff and visitors.
“The registered manager had identified, assessed and mitigated all COVID-19 related risks to people, staff and visitors.” from the report
Clean environment
The home was clean and carried out extra cleaning of frequently touched areas.
“The home was clean. Enhanced cleaning was being carried out including frequent touch points such as handrails and door handles.” from the report
Safe use of PPE
Staff had access to appropriate protective equipment and had received extra training about using it and preventing infection.
“Staff wore appropriate PPE and had access to this throughout the home.” from the report
Staffing plans
The provider had contingency arrangements to help maintain enough staff when COVID-19 created staffing pressures.
“The provider had implemented effective contingency plans, including occasional use of staff from local services, to ensure there were sufficient staff available to meet people's needs.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01How often are the infection prevention and control policy and risk assessments reviewed now?
- 02How do you make sure there are enough familiar staff when staff from local services are used?
- 03What are the current arrangements for relatives visiting the home?
- 04How are staff trained and checked on the safe use of PPE and hand hygiene?
- 05How do you safely manage new admissions and respond to any signs of infection?
This was a targeted inspection of infection prevention and control, visiting arrangements and COVID-19 staffing pressures; it was inspected but not rated and did not provide ratings for the other care areas. This explanation was written from the published report of 7 September 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.
Every inspection of Murton Grange
3 rated inspections over 7 years: the service has held its Good rating throughout.
- July 2023Goodcurrent ratingSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: OutstandingWell-led: Good
- September 2022Inspected but not ratedSafe: Inspected but not rated
- April 2018Goodstayed GoodSafe: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Requires improvement
- January 2016GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- September 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- December 2012
Report published without a new overall rating.
- November 2011
Report published without a new overall rating.
- December 2010
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 1 December 2010.
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.
Weigh the report against the rest
Fees, photos and reviews from families
How to read CQC ratings and reports
What to check when you visit
47 live-in carers within about an hour of County Durham
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 £960 to £1,210 a week. 42 can care for a couple. 10 years' experience on average.
“Petty introduced herself to Mum every time she was caring for her and responded very quickly to Mum if she was distressed in the night.”
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.