CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at Palmersdene
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
What inspectors found, December 2021
Palmersdene was rated Good; inspectors found safe, kind and personalised care, with some records and risk assessments needing improvement.
This was an unannounced inspection on 15 and 17 November 2021. Inspectors spoke with people living in the home, relatives and staff. They reviewed care records, medicines records, recruitment files and management records. Infection prevention measures were also checked.
The home was rated Good in all five areas: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. Inspectors found people felt safe, staff were kind and well trained, medicines were given safely, and people's care and choices were respected.
There were some areas needing attention. One person's diabetes risk assessment was missing. Some records needed more detail, including medicines taken when required, daily care notes, and dietary and fluid monitoring. The manager agreed to address these points.
The previous inspection rating was also Good, published on 21 January 2020. This inspection was carried out as part of a random check of services rated Good or Outstanding, to test a new monitoring approach.
People felt safe
People said they felt safe and staff knew how to identify and report abuse. Safeguarding incidents had been reported and investigated appropriately.
“People told us they felt safe with the staff who provided care and support to them.” from the report
Kind and respectful care
Inspectors observed gentle and thoughtful interactions. Staff supported privacy, dignity and independence rather than taking over.
“We observed gentle, kind and thoughtful interactions between staff and people.” from the report
Skilled staff and safe medicines
Staff received induction, training and supervision. Inspectors found medicines were administered correctly and people said they received them when needed.
“Medicine Administration Records (MAR) noted all medicines were administered correctly and medicine count records accurately recorded the total of each medicine in stock.” from the report
Personalised support
Care plans recorded people's individual needs and preferences. People and relatives were involved in planning care, and activities supported social contact and interests.
“Care plans were personalised to the individual and recorded details about each person's specific needs and how they liked to be supported.” from the report
Positive management
Staff and relatives described the management team as supportive and approachable. Audits and feedback were used to monitor and improve the home.
“Effective monitoring systems were in place and these helped develop the service and drive change and improvements.” from the report
One risk assessment was missing
needs fixingInspectors found that one person did not have a diabetes risk assessment. The manager agreed to ensure all people's risks were assessed.
“Some risk assessments needed further work, such as for one person who lacked a diabetes risk assessment.” from the report
Some medicines guidance needed updating
needs fixingProtocols for medicines given when required did not always explain the person's needs in enough detail. The manager agreed to review and update them.
“Protocols for medicines to be taken as required needed to be more person centred.” from the report
Some records needed more detail
minorInspectors said some daily notes needed further detail. They also discussed adding more detail to dietary and fluid intake monitoring records.
“The management of records relating to peoples care and management of the home were on the whole comprehensive.” from the report
- 01Has the diabetes risk assessment identified by inspectors been completed and checked?
- 02How do you decide and record when a person should receive medicines prescribed to be taken when required?
- 03What changes have you made to daily care notes since the inspection?
- 04How do you monitor and record people's food and fluid intake in enough detail?
- 05How will you involve our relative and family in reviewing the care plan?
This was an unannounced inspection covering all five key questions, including infection prevention and control, with checks of people's care, medicines, staffing and management records. This explanation was written from the published report of 4 December 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.
What inspectors found, December 2020
Palmersdene was inspected but not rated; inspectors found good infection-control arrangements during a coronavirus outbreak.
This was an announced, targeted inspection on 8 December 2020. It looked only at infection prevention and control because of coronavirus outbreaks in care homes.
Inspectors were assured that the home was managing visitors, social distancing, admissions, testing, PPE, cleaning and infection outbreaks safely. The home also had an up-to-date infection-control policy.
Staff had extra infection-control training and regular audits were completed. Staffing levels were maintained with help from agency staff, and people were supported to keep in touch with relatives by telephone or video calls.
The home was inspected but not rated. This means the report does not give an overall quality rating or ratings for the other four CQC questions.
Infection controls
The home had measures at its entrance and inside the building to reduce infection risk. Inspectors were assured that its infection-control policy was up to date.
“Appropriate measures were in place at the entrance and in the home to reduce the risk of infection.” from the report
Social distancing
People were following social-distancing rules, and furniture had been rearranged to help support this.
“Social distancing rules were being complied with. Some minor changes had been made to the layout of furniture to encourage and support social distancing.” from the report
Safe admissions
The home followed national guidance for people moving in and carried out admissions safely.
“The provider was following national guidance for anyone moving into the home and admissions were carried out safely.” from the report
Family contact
People could keep in touch with relatives by telephone or video call. The home was developing ways to support visits safely under the latest guidance.
“People were supported to keep in touch with their family members via video or telephone calls.” from the report
Staff training and staffing
Staff received extra infection-control training, and regular audits were carried out. Staffing levels were maintained during the outbreak with agency staff support.
“Staff had undertaken additional training in infection prevention and control and regular audits were carried out.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01How are visiting arrangements managed now, and how do you keep visits safe?
- 02How do you currently test people living here and staff for infections?
- 03What checks are completed when someone moves into the home?
- 04How do you maintain staffing levels, and how often do you use agency staff?
- 05What infection-control training and audits have been completed since this inspection?
This was a targeted inspection of infection prevention and control under the Safe question only; the service was inspected but not rated and the other four questions were not assessed. This explanation was written from the published report of 18 December 2020 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 Palmersdene
4 rated inspections over 7 years: the service has held its Good rating throughout.
- December 2021Goodcurrent ratingSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- December 2020Inspected but not ratedSafe: Inspected but not rated
- January 2020Goodstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- May 2017Goodstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- May 2015GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- January 2014
Report published without a new overall rating.
- February 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- February 2012
Report published without a new overall rating.
- November 2010
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 25 November 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.
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39 live-in carers within about an hour of South Tyneside
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 £1,140 a week. 34 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.