CQC report explained · a nursing home
What the CQC found at Orchard House
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
- Safe?
- Good
- Inspectors found that risks were recorded, staff were safely recruited and there were enough staff to meet people's physical and social needs. People were supported to manage medicines, including taking responsibility for some of their own medicines.
- Effective?
- Good
- Staff understood people's needs and preferences and had completed relevant training. People were supported with food, healthcare, activities and decisions about their care.
- Caring?
- Good
- People said staff were kind, caring and attentive. Inspectors found that people were treated respectfully and supported to make choices and become more independent.
- Responsive?
- Good
- Care reflected people's individual needs, preferences, interests and goals. People had opportunities to follow hobbies and interests, and there were clear policies for handling complaints.
- Well-led?
- Good
- Inspectors found strong oversight, regular audits and a focus on improving people's quality of life. People and staff felt able to raise concerns and believed these would be addressed.
What inspectors found, May 2019
Orchard House was rated Good; inspectors found safe, kind and personalised care, with strong support for independence.
This was an unannounced inspection on 29 March 2019. One inspector spoke with three people, two care staff and the registered manager. They also reviewed care records, medicines records, staff records and records about how the home was managed.
The home was rated Good in all five areas: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. Inspectors found enough staff, safe recruitment, suitable training, safe medicines support and systems for managing risks.
People spoke positively about the staff. Inspectors found that people were treated with dignity, involved in decisions, supported to follow their interests and helped to build independence. The home had links with local churches and schools.
The overall rating improved from Requires Improvement at the previous inspection, published in March 2016. The report says the home had since become dormant and no longer offered the learning disabilities service type.
Safe staffing
The report says there was a low staff turnover and enough staff to meet people's physical and social needs. Recruitment checks were carried out before staff worked with vulnerable adults.
“There was a low staff turnover and people were supported by enough staff to meet their physical and social needs.” from the report
Respect and kindness
People described staff as kind, caring and attentive. Inspectors saw staff treating people politely and respectfully while promoting privacy and dignity.
“People told us about living at the home and said the staff were kind, caring and attentive to them.” from the report
Promoting independence
People were supported to make choices and develop their independence, including managing some medicines and opening a bank account.
“People told us staff were good at promoting their independence and helping with reminders and prompts.” from the report
Personalised support
Care plans included people's goals, preferences and interests. Staff took time to understand people's past experiences and support their current goals.
“People benefited from receiving care which reflected their unique needs and preferences.” from the report
Strong management oversight
The home used audits and other checks to identify improvements. Inspectors found that identified improvements were put in place in a timely way.
“Continuous improvement was underpinned by a range of audits which focused on positive outcomes for people.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01How do you currently support people with mental health needs and review their personal goals?
- 02How do you assess whether someone can safely manage their own prescribed or over-the-counter medicines?
- 03What activities, hobbies and community links are available now?
- 04How do people and relatives raise concerns, and how are these concerns recorded and followed up?
- 05What changes have been made since the previous Requires Improvement inspection?
This was an unannounced planned inspection covering all five CQC questions, including both the premises and the care provided. This explanation was written from the published report of 1 May 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 Orchard House
4 rated inspections over 3 years: the service has improved, from Inadequate to Good.
- May 2019Goodcurrent ratingup from Requires improvementSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- March 2016Requires improvementup from InadequateSafe: Requires improvementEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Requires improvement
- February 2016Inadequatestayed InadequateSafe: Inadequate
- December 2015InadequateSafe: InadequateEffective: Requires improvementCaring: Requires improvementResponsive: Requires improvementWell-led: Inadequate
- July 2013
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 1 July 2013.
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
At least 100 live-in carers within about an hour of Birmingham
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 £950 to £1,230 a week. 79 can care for a couple. 9 years' experience on average.
“God doesn't make people like her anymore!”
“I have never met a person who is so kind and thinks about others before himself to such an extent as Chris Malagala.”
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.