CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at Positive Step
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
- Safe?
- Good
- Inspectors were assured about infection prevention and control. This included PPE, testing, safe admissions, cleaning, visitors and managing possible outbreaks.
- Effective?
- Good
- This area was not assessed in the targeted inspection and no rating was given.
- Caring?
- Good
- This area was not assessed in the targeted inspection and no rating was given.
- Responsive?
- Good
- This area was not assessed in the targeted inspection and no rating was given.
- Well-led?
- Good
- This area was not assessed in the targeted inspection and no rating was given.
What inspectors found, May 2021
Inspected but not rated; inspectors were assured about the home's infection prevention and control measures.
The home is an adult social care assessment unit for up to 35 people. It provides short-term stays for people who need assessment and support before returning home or moving to a more suitable placement.
This was an announced, targeted inspection on 17 May 2021. It looked at infection prevention and control as part of the CQC's COVID-19 response, rather than giving a full service rating.
Inspectors were assured that visitors, people using the service and staff were protected through testing, personal protective equipment, safe admissions, cleaning, hygiene and infection control policies. The service was inspected but not rated.
Visiting arrangements
The home had a separate testing area for families and an indoor visiting room. It also provided guidance to support people going out with family where possible.
“There was a separate testing area for families and an indoor visiting room provided as part of current guidance.” from the report
PPE training
Staff had watched PPE training and received individual support to check their competence.
“All staff had watched the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) video and given 1:1 training on site to ensure their competence.” from the report
Staff support
Staff were given instructions to isolate if they had symptoms and were supported financially while absent with COVID-19 sickness.
“Even though recorded as COVID-19 sickness, this did not go towards any sickness monitoring.” from the report
Infection controls
Inspectors were assured about the home's arrangements for preventing and managing infection, including testing, admissions, hygiene and its infection control policy.
“We were assured the provider's infection prevention and control policy was up to date.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01What are the current arrangements for family visits and taking people out with their families?
- 02How are new admissions tested and supported safely?
- 03How do you check that staff continue to use PPE correctly?
- 04What infection control arrangements are in place if someone using the service or a member of staff has symptoms?
- 05What were the home's ratings for Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led at its previous full inspection?
This was a targeted inspection of infection prevention and control under Safe only; it was not a full inspection and the service was not rated. This explanation was written from the published report of 26 May 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, September 2019
Rated Good; inspectors found safe, kind and person-centred care focused on helping people regain independence.
This was an unannounced inspection of the home on 17 July 2019. Inspectors spoke with people using the service, relatives, staff and a visiting health professional. They also checked care records, medicines records, staff files, complaints and quality checks.
The home is a short-term adult social care assessment unit for up to 35 people. Its aim is to help people build confidence and skills so they can return home or move to a more suitable placement.
All five areas were rated Good: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. Inspectors found enough suitable staff, safe medicines management, kind care, good support from health professionals and a strong focus on people's choices and independence.
This was the same overall rating as the previous inspection, published in January 2017. The report did not identify any breaches of regulations or enforcement action.
Promoting independence
The home had a strong focus on helping people regain skills, confidence and independence during their stay.
“There was a very strong focus on promoting people's independence, choice and control,” from the report
Kind and respectful care
People and relatives described staff as kind, friendly and caring. Inspectors observed calm, sensitive and unhurried interactions.
“We saw staff approaching and talking with people in a sensitive way.” from the report
Safe care and staffing
Inspectors found enough suitable staff, robust recruitment and effective systems to assess and manage risks.
“There were enough suitable, qualified and consistent staff available to meet people's needs,” from the report
Good partnership working
The home worked closely with health and social care professionals to assess people's needs and plan safe discharges.
“Because the Positive Step and the MDT teams worked well together, this helped to co-ordinate the services people received,” from the report
Limited organised activities for some people
minorA small number of people said they would have liked more organised activities, although most people felt there was enough to do.
“Although a small number of people would have liked more 'organised activities', most people told us there was enough to do.” from the report
Visiting hours were restricted
minorVisits were normally limited to two daily time periods. The report says there was some flexibility, including for visitors travelling a long distance.
“There were some restrictions for visiting hours, which were between 10am and 12 midday, and 5.30 and 8pm.” from the report
- 01What goals would you set with my relative, and how would you measure progress towards returning home or moving to another placement?
- 02How would you assess whether my relative can manage their own medicines, and what support would be provided if they cannot?
- 03What activities would be available during my relative's stay, including organised activities?
- 04What are the visiting hours, and when can flexibility be agreed?
- 05How would my family be involved in care reviews, discharge planning and decisions about support and equipment?
This was an unannounced inspection covering all five CQC questions, and it looked at both the premises and the care provided. This explanation was written from the published report of 7 September 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 Positive Step
3 rated inspections over 3 years: the service has improved, from Requires improvement to Good.
- May 2021Inspected but not ratedcurrent ratingSafe: Inspected but not rated
- September 2019Goodstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- January 2017Goodup from Requires improvementSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- March 2016Requires improvementSafe: Requires improvementEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: Requires improvementWell-led: Good
- February 2014
Report published without a new overall rating.
- October 2012
Report published without a new overall rating.
- December 2010
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 31 December 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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92 live-in carers within about an hour of Doncaster
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 £1,260 a week. 77 can care for a couple. 11 years' experience on average.
“Carla has been a god send with the implementation of bringing mum back home from respite care.”
“I can honestly say without Petros I don't believe he would have lived an extra 2 years”
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.