CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at Orchid House
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
What inspectors found, April 2021
Orchid House was rated Good overall; inspectors found safe, kind and personalised care, with some record-keeping gaps.
Inspectors visited unannounced on 16 and 17 March 2021. They spoke with people and relatives, used a Makaton questionnaire, observed care and reviewed care, medicine, staffing, safety and management records.
People were supported by enough trained staff. Inspectors found that medicines were managed safely, risks were assessed, care was personalised and people were treated with dignity. Staff supported people's choices, communication, health, activities and relationships.
The home was rated Good in all five areas. Inspectors found that some records were incomplete, including one employment history and coronavirus health monitoring forms. The manager addressed these issues during the inspection and added daily record checks.
The previous rating, under the previous provider, was Requires Improvement and was published on 27 January 2020. This was a planned inspection because of that previous rating.
Safe staffing
Inspectors found enough appropriately trained staff to meet people's needs. They saw staff available and supporting people promptly.
“Records confirmed there were enough appropriately trained staff to meet people's needs.” from the report
Safe medicines
Medicines were stored securely and records were accurate. Inspectors found no gaps in medicine administration records.
“There were no gaps or omissions in medication administration records (MAR).” from the report
Personalised care
Care plans included people's routines, preferences, life stories, communication needs and goals. Staff supported people to make choices and build independence.
“People continued to be supported to set and achieve their goals which improved their independence and quality of life.” from the report
Kind and respectful staff
Inspectors saw warm and friendly interactions. Staff supported privacy, dignity, communication and day-to-day choice.
“We observed people were treated in a caring way by staff who showed a warm and friendly approach to them.” from the report
Activities and relationships
People were supported to take part in activities and maintain important relationships, including during lockdown.
“They were supported to participate in activities and pursue the interests and hobbies they enjoyed.” from the report
Supportive leadership
Staff described good teamwork and support. Relatives praised improvements made by the manager.
“There was positive staff morale with staff saying they felt very well supported in their roles.” from the report
Incomplete records
minorInspectors found gaps in one staff member's employment history and in coronavirus health monitoring forms. The provider addressed this during the visit and added daily checks.
“However, some records were not always complete.” from the report
- 01How do you now check that employment histories and other recruitment records are complete?
- 02How are coronavirus health monitoring checks recorded and reviewed since the inspection?
- 03How will my relative be supported to communicate choices and take part in activities?
- 04How will family contact, outings and activities work now that the inspection took place during lockdown?
- 05How are care plans reviewed when a person's needs, routines or goals change?
This was an unannounced planned inspection covering all five CQC questions and infection prevention measures; nobody was receiving end-of-life care at the time. This explanation was written from the published report of 16 April 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 Orchid House
4 rated inspections over 6 years: the service has held its Good rating throughout.
- April 2021Goodcurrent ratingup from Requires improvementSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- January 2020Requires improvementdown from OutstandingSafe: Requires improvementEffective: Requires improvementCaring: Requires improvementResponsive: Requires improvementWell-led: Requires improvement
- December 2017Outstandingup from GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: OutstandingResponsive: OutstandingWell-led: Outstanding
- April 2015GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- March 2020
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 31 March 2020.
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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44 live-in carers within about an hour of Swindon
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 £990 to £1,280 a week. 34 can care for a couple. 12 years' experience on average.
“Linet became her carer and all changed, my daughter started eating, taking her medications and more important her happiness came back.”
“She was very caring, kind and patient to all his needs, she built up a wondetful rapport with him, she was dedicated and was there for him through good times as well as through the tough times”
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.