CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at Portelet Cottage
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
- Safe?
- Good
- People were protected from avoidable harm through risk assessments, safeguarding procedures, suitable staffing and safe medicines management. Fire safety improvements had been identified, with some completed and others planned.
- Effective?
- Good
- Care was planned around people's needs and choices. People received support with nutrition, healthcare and treatment, and staff had suitable training.
- Caring?
- Good
- This question was not inspected during this focused visit. The report says the previous rating was used when calculating the overall rating.
- Responsive?
- Good
- This question was not inspected during this focused visit. The report says the previous rating was used when calculating the overall rating.
- Well-led?
- Good
- Inspectors found positive leadership, effective audits and a culture where people, relatives, staff and professionals were listened to. The manager used an improvement plan to track actions.
What inspectors found, September 2023
Rated Good; inspectors found kind, safe care and strong leadership, but fire safety improvements were still under way.
This was an unannounced focused inspection on 15 August 2023. Three inspectors spoke with people, relatives, staff and health professionals. They reviewed care plans, medicines records, staff files, accident records and management checks.
The home was rated Good overall. Safe, Effective and Well-led were also rated Good. Inspectors found that risks were assessed, medicines were managed safely, staffing levels met people's needs and staff understood safeguarding procedures.
People were treated with kindness, dignity and respect. Inspectors found person-centred care plans, suitable support with food and drink, access to health professionals and a positive culture. People and relatives spoke highly of the staff and leadership.
The inspection followed concerns about fire safety and whether people's rights were respected. Inspectors found that people's rights were respected. Fire safety work had been started, but further building improvements were still planned. Caring and Responsive were not inspected during this visit, so their previous ratings were used in the overall rating.
Person-centred planning
Care plans and risk assessments reflected people's individual needs. People and relatives said staff knew them well.
“Care plans and risk assessments were person centred. People and relatives told us staff knew them well.” from the report
Kind and respectful care
Staff supported people with kindness and protected their dignity. Inspectors also saw staff respecting people's choices.
“Staff supported people in a kind and compassionate way, considering their dignity and with respect.” from the report
Safe medicines
Medicines were stored, administered and recorded safely. Records matched stock balances, including for medicines with stricter legal controls.
“Medication records were complete and matched stock balances.” from the report
Positive leadership
People, relatives, professionals and staff gave consistently positive feedback about the leadership and culture. Management checks were described as robust.
“Quality assurance systems were operating effectively. Auditing and monitoring systems were robust.” from the report
Access to healthcare
People had access to doctors, nurses and specialist support when needed. Instructions from professionals were recorded and passed on to staff.
“People had access to health care and specialist support when needed.” from the report
Fire safety work ongoing
needs fixingInspectors found that some fire safety improvements had been completed, but further building work was still planned. Ask what remains outstanding and how the work is being monitored.
“The service was working on improvements to the fire safety within the home to ensure they met the fire safety regulations.” from the report
- 01What fire safety improvements are still outstanding, and when will the planned building work be completed?
- 02What arrangements are in place to keep people safe while the fire safety work is ongoing?
- 03How will you keep me updated if there are delays or further fire safety concerns?
- 04What is the current experience of people in areas that were not inspected this time, especially Caring and Responsive?
- 05How are people's food and drink needs, including choking risks, recorded and shared with kitchen staff?
This was a focused inspection of Safe, Effective and Well-led only; Caring and Responsive were not inspected and their previous ratings were used to calculate the overall rating. This explanation was written from the published report of 23 September 2023 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, October 2018
Portelet Cottage was rated Good overall; inspectors found kind, safe and personalised care, with a few minor issues being addressed.
This was the home's first inspection. CQC made an unannounced comprehensive visit on 6 September 2018 and made telephone calls up to 11 September. Inspectors spoke with people, relatives, staff and a health professional. They observed care and checked care, medicines, staffing, training and management records.
All five areas were rated Good: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. People were supported by enough trained staff, received their medicines safely and had access to healthcare. Staff understood people's preferences, communication needs and choices, including where people could not use words easily.
Inspectors found a friendly and supportive atmosphere. Care plans were detailed and regularly updated. People were supported with food, drink, activities and end of life wishes. The home had systems to check quality and respond to concerns.
Kind and respectful staff
People and relatives described staff as friendly, kind and caring. Inspectors saw warmth, laughter and respectful support, including for people who were confused or unsettled.
“Care was provided with warmth by staff who treated people with compassion, respect and dignity.” from the report
Personalised care
Care plans included people's preferences, life histories, communication needs and wishes. Staff used this information to support people in ways that suited them.
“People's needs were assessed, and care plans reflected those needs.” from the report
Safe staffing and medicines
Inspectors found enough appropriately trained staff. Medicine records had no gaps, staff had current medicine training and medicines were stored securely.
“People were supported by sufficient, suitably experienced and qualified staff.” from the report
Good support with food and health
People had choices about food and drink, with plans for special diets and swallowing risks. Staff monitored people's intake and involved healthcare professionals when needed.
“People were supported to eat and drink enough to maintain a balanced diet.” from the report
Activities and communication
People were supported to enjoy activities in the home and local area. Their communication needs were recorded and information was made available in ways they could understand.
“People were supported to take part in a range of varied and interesting activities.” from the report
Kitchen assessment outstanding
minorThe kitchen had not been assessed by the local food standards authority since reopening. Inspectors found it clean and tidy during the visit, but this assessment was still outstanding.
“The kitchen had not been assessed by the local food standards authority since it had reopened.” from the report
Privacy in communal discussions
needs fixingStaff sometimes discussed people's needs in communal areas because the office was small. The manager said this would be addressed by the team.
“We noted that sometimes staff spoke about people's needs in communal areas.” from the report
Medicine storage temperature
needs fixingThe medicine cupboard temperature had sometimes exceeded the safe limit during unusually hot weather. The report says medicines were not considered at risk and a vent was planned.
“Due to the unusually high temperatures experienced this summer, the temperature had occasionally gone above the safe limit for medicine storage.” from the report
Fire system work
needs fixingEssential work was identified on the fire system during the inspection. An interim measure had been risk assessed and put in place while the work was arranged.
“During our inspection essential work was identified to the fire system; this was arranged and an interim measure risk assessed and put in place.” from the report
- 01Has the local food standards authority now assessed the kitchen since it reopened?
- 02Has the planned vent been added to the medicines storage room, and how are temperatures checked now?
- 03What work was completed on the fire system, and what interim safety measures remain in place?
- 04How do staff now make sure people's care is discussed privately rather than in communal areas?
- 05How do you gather formal feedback from people and relatives now that the home has been open longer?
This was the home's first unannounced comprehensive inspection and covered all five CQC questions, with telephone calls continuing up to 11 September 2018. This explanation was written from the published report of 6 October 2018 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 Portelet Cottage
2 rated inspections over 5 years: the service has held its Good rating throughout.
- September 2023Goodcurrent ratingstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- October 2018GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodWell-led: Good
- April 2018
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 6 April 2018.
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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