CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at Prince Alfred Residential Care Home
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
What inspectors found, July 2022
Prince Alfred Residential Care Home is rated Good overall, with Outstanding caring; inspectors found kind, personalised support but mixed views about food.
This was an unannounced inspection. Inspectors visited on 21 April 2022 and continued their work until 26 April 2022. They spoke with nine people living at the home, two relatives and eight staff. They also reviewed care plans, medicines records, staff files and management records.
The home was rated Good overall. It was rated Good for Safe, Effective, Responsive and Well-led. Caring was rated Outstanding. Inspectors found people felt safe, medicines were managed properly, staffing levels met people's needs and care plans reflected people's choices.
Inspectors saw warm and respectful relationships between staff and people. They found strong support for independence, activities and personal preferences. There was some mixed feedback about the food, which was discussed with the registered manager. The previous rating was Good in August 2019, under the previous provider.
People felt safe
Everyone inspectors spoke with said they felt safe. Risks, accidents, the environment and medicines were monitored through established systems.
“Everyone we spoke with said they felt safe living at the home.” from the report
Exceptionally caring staff
Staff knew people well and treated them with warmth, respect and patience. Inspectors saw care that promoted dignity and independence.
“People were observed to be supported by staff who were exceptionally caring and supportive in their role.” from the report
Personalised support
Care plans recorded people's routines, choices and preferences. Staff encouraged people to do as much as possible for themselves and supported meaningful activities.
“Care and support was completed in a highly personalised way and was tailored to meet people's needs, choices and promote independence and control.” from the report
Good oversight
The home used regular checks and action plans to monitor quality. The registered manager welcomed feedback and supported staff to suggest improvements.
“The home was subject to in depth checks and evaluation using a robust quality assurance framework.” from the report
Mixed feedback about food
needs fixingMost people liked the food, but others did not. The registered manager agreed to consult people further about menus and food choices.
“We received some mixed feedback regarding the food available at the home.” from the report
Some agency staff at night
minorThe home relied to some extent on agency staff to cover night shifts. Inspectors still found there were enough staff, and new staff had been recruited but were awaiting start dates.
“The registered manager was honest and told us there was some reliance on agency staff to cover night shifts, however new staff had been recruited and were awaiting start dates.” from the report
- 01How have you acted on the mixed feedback about the food?
- 02How many agency staff are currently covering night shifts, and when will the newly recruited staff start?
- 03How will you make sure care plans continue to reflect changes in a person's needs and choices?
- 04What activities are available for a new resident based on their interests, past work and preferred routines?
- 05How can relatives take part in residents' meetings, care planning and feedback about the home?
This was an unannounced inspection covering all five key questions, including infection prevention and control under Safe; it was the first inspection under the new provider. This explanation was written from the published report of 23 July 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, December 2020
Inspected but not rated; inspectors were assured that Prince Alfred Residential Care Home had suitable COVID-19 infection control measures.
This was an announced, targeted inspection on 05 November 2020. Inspectors looked only at infection prevention and control during the coronavirus pandemic.
Inspectors were assured that the home managed visitors, social distancing, shielding, admissions, protective equipment, testing, cleaning and infection outbreaks safely. Staff had training and checks on using protective equipment.
The home supported people to stay in contact with family and friends using technology. Essential visits were restricted and end-of-life visits were arranged safely. A visiting pod was being built.
The service was inspected but not rated. This means the visit did not give an overall rating or a rated judgement for the five questions.
Safe visits
Only essential visitors were allowed, and visits were arranged safely. End-of-life visits could take place safely.
“Visits were restricted to essential visitors only and they were carried out safely.” from the report
Protective equipment
The home had enough protective equipment, with stations around the building. Staff had training and regular checks on using it safely.
“Staff completed training and underwent regular checks on their competency around the safe use of PPE.” from the report
Testing and outbreak planning
Testing was available for people living at the home and staff. Inspectors were assured that procedures were in place for admissions and managing outbreaks.
“COVID-19 testing was available to people using the service and staff.” from the report
Family contact
Staff helped people keep in regular contact with family and friends through technology during the pandemic.
“Staff reassured people throughout the pandemic and provided them with the support they needed to maintain regular contact with family and friends through the use of technology.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01How are visits arranged now, including visits for people receiving end-of-life care?
- 02What testing is currently available for people living at the home and staff?
- 03How do you manage a suspected or confirmed infection outbreak?
- 04How do you check that staff continue to use protective equipment safely?
- 05When will the next full inspection or rated assessment take place?
This was a targeted inspection of infection prevention and control during the coronavirus pandemic; it did not rate the other four questions or give an overall rating. This explanation was written from the published report of 2 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 Prince Alfred Residential Care Home
Each visit the CQC has published, newest first, back to the day the home was registered.
- July 2022Goodcurrent ratingSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: OutstandingResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
Read what inspectors found at Prince Alfred Residential Care Home →
- December 2020Inspected but not ratedSafe: Inspected but not rated
Read what inspectors found at Prince Alfred Residential Care Home →
- July 2020
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 20 July 2020.
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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