CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at Phoenix Care Centre
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
- Safe?
- Good
- Inspectors were assured about testing, shielding, social distancing, safe admissions and outbreak management. They were not assured that maintenance and upkeep of the premises supported good infection control and hygiene.
- Effective?
- Good
- Does the care work? Training, consent, food and drink, working with GPs and nurses.
- Caring?
- Good
- Are people treated with kindness and dignity?
- Responsive?
- Good
- Is care built around the person? Care plans, activities, complaints.
- Well-led?
- Good
- Is the home run well? The manager, the culture, how problems get found and fixed.
What inspectors found, December 2020
Phoenix Care Centre was inspected but not rated; infection controls were mostly assured, but the upkeep of the premises needed improvement.
Inspectors visited the home on 7 December 2020. This was a targeted inspection during the COVID-19 outbreak. It looked at infection prevention and control, rather than the home's overall quality.
Inspectors found good supplies of protective equipment, hand sanitiser and cleaning materials. Staff had infection control training. Testing, isolation and outbreak arrangements were in place, and people could keep in touch with relatives through calls and a visiting pod.
Inspectors were not assured that the maintenance and upkeep of the premises supported good infection control and hygiene. The home was marked 'Inspected but not rated', so this report does not give a quality rating for the service.
Protective equipment and supplies
The home had sufficient protective equipment, hand sanitiser and cleaning materials. Staff had been trained to use protective equipment safely.
“There were sufficient stocks of PPE in the home. Stocks included masks, gloves, aprons and visors.” from the report
Outbreak management
The recent COVID-19 outbreak was managed in line with people's risk assessments, care plans and government guidance.
“A recent outbreak of COVID-19 was well managed and staff followed guidance in people's risk assessments and care plans to keep people safe.” from the report
Contact with relatives
People were supported to stay in touch by telephone and video call. A screened visiting pod had also been built.
“The provider had also built a visiting pod with screening to minimise the risk of spreading infection” from the report
Premises maintenance and hygiene
needs fixingInspectors could not be assured that the maintenance and upkeep of the premises supported good infection control and hygiene. The provider was signposted to areas for improvement.
“We were not assured the systems in place for maintenance and upkeep of the premises promoted good infection control and hygiene practices.” from the report
- 01What maintenance and upkeep problems did inspectors identify, and what has been done to fix them?
- 02How do you now check that the premises support good infection control and hygiene?
- 03Are protective equipment, hand sanitiser and cleaning materials still kept at sufficient levels?
- 04How are people supported to keep in touch with relatives, and what are the current visiting arrangements?
- 05How are COVID-19 testing, isolation and outbreak procedures being managed now?
This was a targeted inspection of infection prevention and control during a COVID-19 outbreak; it did not provide ratings for the other areas of the service. This explanation was written from the published report of 17 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.
What inspectors found, March 2020
Rated Good; inspectors found safe, kind and personalised care, with the lift awaiting repair.
This was an unannounced inspection on 12 February 2020. One inspector spoke with five people, two relatives, six staff members and a visiting health professional. Records about care, medicines, staff recruitment and how the home was managed were also checked.
The home was rated Good in all five areas: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. Inspectors found people were protected from abuse, medicines were managed properly, staffing met people's needs and staff were recruited safely.
People and relatives described staff as kind and caring. Inspectors found that care plans reflected people's wishes, people were involved in decisions, food and activities were good, and complaints were handled within the home's timescales.
The Safe rating improved from Requires Improvement to Good since the previous inspection. The overall rating remains Good, as it was at the last inspection published on 25 July 2017.
Kind and respectful staff
People and relatives spoke positively about the staff. Inspectors saw warm, friendly and respectful interactions that supported privacy, dignity and independence.
“Staff and managers interacted with people in a warm and friendly manner.” from the report
Safe care and medicines
The home had systems to identify and manage risks, protect people from abuse and check medicines. Staff were trained to recognise and report abuse.
“Systems were in place to ensure peoples safety. Risks were assessed and managed. Medicines were managed appropriately.” from the report
Personalised support
Care plans recorded people's wishes and were updated when needs changed. Staff understood individual needs and supported people to make choices.
“Care plans were personalised to ensure care was delivered in the way people wanted.” from the report
Food and activities
People enjoyed the food and were supported to eat and drink. They were offered activities of their choice, including group and individual activities.
“People were provided with many opportunities to take part in activities with other people living in the home or on their own.” from the report
Open management
People, relatives and staff could give feedback and suggest improvements. The home used checks and improvement plans to monitor care.
“Systems were in place to monitor regulatory compliance and to drive improvements.” from the report
Lift not working
needs fixingThe lift was not in use during the inspection. People could use a stair lift, and the home said the part needed for repair had been bought and work scheduled.
“At the time of inspection, the lift was not in use. People were able to access the first floor using a stair lift.” from the report
- 01Has the lift now been repaired, and what access arrangements are available if it stops working again?
- 02How will you assess and review my relative's care plan when their health or needs change?
- 03What activities would be suitable for my relative, and how will you support them to choose and take part?
- 04How will you support my relative if they have communication, sight or hearing needs?
- 05How are medicines, falls and other incidents checked and followed up?
This was an unannounced planned inspection covering all five key questions, and the previous Safe rating of Requires Improvement had improved to Good. This explanation was written from the published report of 25 March 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 Phoenix Care Centre
3 rated inspections over 5 years: the service has held its Good rating throughout.
- December 2020Inspected but not ratedcurrent ratingSafe: Inspected but not rated
- March 2020Goodstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- September 2017Goodstayed GoodSafe: Requires improvementEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- August 2015GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- May 2014
Report published without a new overall rating.
- November 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- June 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- July 2012
Report published without a new overall rating.
- January 2011
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 12 January 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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9 live-in carers within about an hour of Lincolnshire
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.
8 can care for a couple. 10 years' experience on average.
“Martin was more than a carer, he managed the home and became my uncle's best friend, enriching his life during his last few years.”
“Magda was always positive and proactive about trying new things to keep dad busy. She also introduced new ideas for keeping dad healthy.”
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.