CQC report explained · a nursing home
What the CQC found at Philips Court
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
What inspectors found, October 2022
Inspected but not rated; inspectors found strong infection control and visiting arrangements during the COVID-19 pandemic.
This was an announced, targeted inspection on 17 August 2022. Inspectors looked at infection prevention and control, visiting arrangements, and whether COVID-19 staffing pressures were affecting care.
Inspectors found that staff understood government guidance, used protective equipment correctly, and had access to it throughout the home. The home was clean, supported social distancing, and had checks to make sure infection control processes were followed.
Visitors were required to follow safety arrangements. Professional visitors needed a recent negative lateral flow test, and people were supported to leave the home to visit relatives or use the local community. The service was inspected but not rated, so this report does not provide an overall quality rating.
Good infection control
Staff understood how to use protective equipment, and the home had supplies and designated stations. Inspectors were assured that infection risks were being managed.
“Staff wore appropriate PPE and could explain what PPE to wear and how to safely put on/remove their PPE.” from the report
Clean environment
The home was clean and supported social distancing guidance.
“The home was clean and supported social distancing guidance.” from the report
Checks by managers
The management team checked whether staff were following safe infection prevention and control processes.
“The management team had effective systems in place to check that safe infection prevention and control processes were being followed by staff.” from the report
Visiting arrangements
Visitors had clear safety requirements, including testing for professional visitors and recent negative tests for relatives.
“Professional visitors and relatives were tested for COVID-19 at the service or provided a negative lateral flow test result that was less than 72 hours old.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01What infection prevention and control arrangements are in place now, and how are they checked?
- 02What testing or other requirements apply to relatives and professional visitors now?
- 03How are people supported to leave the home and visit relatives safely?
- 04How do you manage staffing pressures linked to COVID-19 or other infections?
- 05Is the infection prevention and control policy still up to date?
This was a targeted inspection of infection prevention and control, visiting arrangements and COVID-19 staffing pressures; the service was inspected but not rated overall. This explanation was written from the published report of 27 October 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.
What inspectors found, November 2019
Philips Court was rated Good; inspectors found major improvements, with safe, kind and personalised care.
This was an unannounced inspection on 12 and 18 September 2019. Inspectors reviewed care, medicines, staffing, records and how the home was managed. They spoke with people using the service, relatives and staff.
The home was rated Good in all five areas: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. Inspectors found enough staff, suitable training, well-managed medicines, detailed care planning and a clean environment.
The report says the home had improved significantly since the previous inspection, which was rated Requires Improvement. Staffing had increased, care records and complaints processes had improved, and leaders had strengthened their checks on quality.
Improved staffing
Staffing levels had increased since the previous inspection. Inspectors said this made it easier for staff to respond safely and promptly to people's needs.
“This had significantly improved staff's ability to support people in a safe and timely manner.” from the report
Kind and respectful care
Staff showed kindness and respected people's dignity, equality and independence. People were involved in decisions and treated as individuals.
“Staff consistently displayed kindness and a caring attitude.” from the report
Activities and choice
People could take part in a range of meaningful activities, including music, arts and crafts, garden activities and outings.
“They ran theme nights such as Country and Westerns, and ran arts and craft sessions.” from the report
Strong leadership
Leaders carried out regular checks, listened to feedback and looked for ways to improve the service. Inspectors linked this leadership to the improvements since the last inspection.
“The registered manager provided strong leadership and their constant critical review of the service had led to the noticeable improvements.” from the report
One assessment tool was not detailed enough
minorAn assessment booklet was still being used but had not given staff enough detailed information about people's needs. The home was also using an additional in-depth assessment and profile.
“The provider had created an assessment booklet, but this had not supported staff to provide detailed information about people's needs.” from the report
- 01How do you now make sure assessments give staff enough detailed information about each person's needs?
- 02Have the increased staffing levels and staff deployment stayed the same since this inspection?
- 03Which activities are currently available across the week, and how are people's individual interests reflected?
- 04How are relatives and residents asked for feedback, and how are concerns recorded and followed up?
- 05How do you check that staff remain competent in medicines management and other key areas of care?
This was an unannounced planned re-inspection that assessed all five CQC questions and looked at both the care provided and the care home premises. This explanation was written from the published report of 2 November 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 Philips Court
7 rated inspections over 4 years: the service has improved, from Requires improvement to Good.
- October 2022Inspected but not ratedcurrent ratingSafe: Inspected but not rated
- November 2019Goodup from Requires improvementSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- April 2019Requires improvementstayed Requires improvementSafe: GoodWell-led: Requires improvement
- September 2018Requires improvementstayed Requires improvementSafe: Requires improvementEffective: Requires improvementCaring: Requires improvementResponsive: Requires improvementWell-led: Requires improvement
- April 2018Requires improvementstayed Requires improvementSafe: Requires improvementWell-led: Requires improvement
- November 2017Requires improvementdown from GoodSafe: Requires improvementEffective: Requires improvementCaring: Requires improvementResponsive: Requires improvementWell-led: Requires improvement
- April 2017Goodup from Requires improvementSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- March 2016Requires improvementSafe: Requires improvementEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: Requires improvementWell-led: Requires improvement
- September 2014
Report published without a new overall rating.
- February 2014
Report published without a new overall rating.
- December 2012
Report published without a new overall rating.
- November 2011
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 1 November 2011.
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
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48 live-in carers within about an hour of Gateshead
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 £1,240 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.