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CQC report explained · a nursing home

What the CQC found at Oxton Grange Care Home

Goodpublished 1 February 2024, 2 years ago

Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.

The five questions inspectors ask
Safe?
Good
Inspectors found that risks were assessed and managed, medicines were administered safely, infection control was effective and there were enough suitably recruited staff.
Effective?
Good
This area was not inspected during this visit. Its previous rating was used when calculating the overall rating.
Caring?
Good
This area was not inspected during this visit. Its previous rating was used when calculating the overall rating.
Responsive?
Good
This area was not inspected during this visit. Its previous rating was used when calculating the overall rating.
Well-led?
Good
Inspectors found an open, positive culture, approachable management and robust systems for monitoring quality, risks and learning from incidents.
The latest report, explained

What inspectors found, February 2024

Rated Good; inspectors found safe, kind care and strong management systems.

This was a focused inspection of safe care and management. Inspectors visited on 23 and 30 November 2023. They spoke with residents, relatives, staff and health professionals, and checked care records, medicines, staff files and management records.

The home was rated Good for Safe and Well-led. Inspectors found that risks were managed, medicines were given safely, infection control was effective and there were enough suitable staff. People said they felt safe and staff understood how to protect them from abuse.

Inspectors also found a friendly and open culture. Care plans were reviewed, managers listened to feedback and quality checks were working well. The home was still nearly at the end of an extensive refurbishment programme.

What inspectors praised
  • People felt safe

    Residents and relatives told inspectors they felt safe. Staff had safeguarding training and knew how to report concerns.

    “People and their loved ones told us they felt safe supported by Oxton Grange Care staff.” from the report
  • Risks were managed

    The home assessed risks including moving and handling, diabetes, skin care and safe swallowing. Staff took action to reduce these risks.

    “Risks to people were assessed and mitigated. Areas of risk considered included; supporting people with moving and handling, diabetes, skin integrity and safe swallowing.” from the report
  • Medicines were safe

    Medicines were stored and given safely. Records matched stock balances and staff competency was checked.

    “Medicines records were complete and matched stock balances.” from the report
  • Positive management

    Inspectors saw a friendly and supportive culture. Managers listened to people, families and staff, and used audits and incident reviews to improve the service.

    “From our observations there was a friendly, open, positive, and supportive culture at Oxton Grange.” from the report
What inspectors were concerned about

Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.

Questions to ask them, based on this report
  1. 01Has the extensive refurbishment programme now been completed, and are there any remaining works that could affect residents?
  2. 02What further specialist education for staff and families about dementia is planned?
  3. 03How will you tell families about any concerns, incidents or changes in a resident's needs?
  4. 04How often are care plans, medicines and staff practices checked?
  5. 05What activities and social opportunities are currently available for residents?

This was a focused inspection of Safe and Well-led only; the other ratings carried over from the previous inspection in 2018. This explanation was written from the published report of 1 February 2024 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.

An earlier report, explained

What inspectors found, March 2022

Inspected but not rated; inspectors found good infection control, visiting arrangements and no reported impact from staffing pressures.

This was a targeted inspection on 22 February 2022. Inspectors looked at infection prevention and control, visiting arrangements and whether staffing pressures affected care. The visit was announced 24 hours in advance.

Inspectors were assured that the home was managing infection risks. This included testing, temperature checks, questionnaires, PPE, cleaning, social distancing, safe admissions and arrangements for managing outbreaks.

Relatives could visit through a visiting pod, and essential caregivers could visit under the guidance in place. The provider said staffing pressures had not affected people's care.

The service was inspected but not rated. This was not a full inspection of the home, so it does not give current ratings for caring, effective, responsive or well-led care.

What inspectors praised
  • Visiting arrangements

    The home provided a visiting pod so relatives could see people regularly while reducing infection risks.

    “There was visiting pod at the front of the building so relatives could see their loved ones regularly reducing the risk of infection to visitors and people living at the home.” from the report
  • Testing and screening

    There was regular COVID-19 testing for people living in the home, staff, essential carers and visitors. Screening included temperature checks and health questionnaires.

    “There was a programme of regular COVID-19 testing for both people living in the home, staff, essential carers and visitors to the home.” from the report
  • Personal protective equipment

    Staff were using PPE in line with guidance, and inspectors noted that plenty was available.

    “Staff used personal protective equipment (PPE) and followed guidance and practices. There was abundant PPE available to staff.” from the report
  • Infection control systems

    Inspectors were assured about the home's arrangements for preventing infections, keeping people safe and managing possible outbreaks.

    “We were assured that the provider was making sure infection outbreaks can be effectively prevented or managed.” from the report
What inspectors were concerned about

Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.

Questions to ask them, based on this report
  1. 01How do visiting arrangements work now, and can relatives visit regularly?
  2. 02What COVID-19 or other infection screening and testing arrangements are currently in place for residents, staff and visitors?
  3. 03How much PPE is available, and how is its correct use checked?
  4. 04How are current staffing levels monitored, and what happens if there are staff shortages?
  5. 05How does the home manage and communicate any infection outbreak?

This was a targeted inspection of infection prevention and control, visiting arrangements and staffing pressures; it did not provide ratings for the other four questions or an overall rating. This explanation was written from the published report of 11 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.

The story over the years

Every inspection of Oxton Grange Care Home

4 rated inspections over 7 years: the service has improved, from Requires improvement to Good.

  1. February 2024Goodcurrent rating
    Safe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good

    Read what inspectors found at Oxton Grange Care Home →

  2. March 2022Inspected but not rated
    Safe: Inspected but not rated

    Read what inspectors found at Oxton Grange Care Home →

  3. February 2021Inspected but not rated
    Safe: Inspected but not rated

    Read this report on cqc.org.uk

  4. October 2018Goodup from Requires improvement
    Safe: GoodWell-led: Good

    Read this report on cqc.org.uk

  5. February 2018Requires improvementstayed Requires improvement
    Safe: InadequateEffective: Requires improvementCaring: Requires improvementResponsive: Requires improvementWell-led: Requires improvement

    Read this report on cqc.org.uk

  6. July 2017Requires improvement
    Safe: Requires improvementEffective: Requires improvementCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Requires improvement

    Read this report on cqc.org.uk

  7. April 2016

    Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 13 April 2016.

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.

Next steps

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Care at home

40 live-in carers within about an hour of Wirral

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 £980 to £1,230 a week. 37 can care for a couple. 8 years' experience on average.

“It was clear that she genuinely cared and her warm approach really helped put our minds at ease.”
Sara K., about Trudi M.
“He developed a close affinity with Terence, spending time talking with him before he retired to bed and looking after his needs during the night.”
John P., about Rodrigo Javier B.
See live-in carers near WirralProfiles, rates and reviews are free to look at.

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.