CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at Quay Court Care Centre
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
What inspectors found, September 2017
Rated Good; inspectors found safe, kind and personalised care, with minor recording and recent staffing concerns addressed.
This was an unannounced inspection on 1 and 4 September 2017. The inspector reviewed care plans, medicines, staff records, rotas, training, equipment and quality checks. They spoke with people living in the home, relatives, health professionals, staff and managers, and observed care.
The home was rated Good overall and Good in all five areas: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. People told inspectors they were happy, safe and treated kindly. Inspectors found enough staff at the time of the inspection, safe medicines management, suitable care plans, good meals and activities, and effective checks on quality.
The home had improved since earlier inspections. Previous concerns about medicines and record keeping had been addressed, and there were no breaches of regulations at this inspection. The report also noted that a new manager had made changes after some difficult months, including improving staffing arrangements and introducing regular staff supervision.
Safe medicines
Medicines were stored and given safely by trained staff. Records were checked and errors were identified and addressed promptly.
“Medicines were stored and administered safely by competent and trained staff.” from the report
Kind and respectful care
People and visitors consistently described staff as kind. Inspectors saw staff offering comfort, encouragement and discreet personal care.
“People told us the staff were always kind and treated them with respect.” from the report
Personalised support
Care plans included people's routines, preferences, health needs and risks. Staff knew people well and supported their choices.
“The care plans provided information about people's daily routines, and explained how they wanted to be supported by the staff.” from the report
Activities and community links
People were supported to take part in activities, go out and remain connected with local groups, schools, churches and entertainers.
“Staff took people out into town, to the shops and the local library.” from the report
Open management
The manager and provider listened to people's and staff's views. Regular monitoring helped identify and address improvements.
“There was an ethos of continuous improvement.” from the report
Dry-skin cream records
minorCreams and lotions for specific skin problems were recorded, but creams for dry skin were not recorded when applied. The manager said they planned to improve this.
“However, creams and lotions prescribed for dry skin had not been recorded when applied.” from the report
Recent staffing worries
needs fixingOne relative and one person described recent difficulty finding staff or a need for more staff. Inspectors found staffing had improved and was sufficient during the inspection.
“One relative told us that at times in recent months they had found people in the communal areas who were distressed or in need of assistance but they were unable to find any staff to help them.” from the report
- 01How are dry-skin creams recorded now, and how do you check that they are applied as prescribed?
- 02How do you decide how many staff are needed when people's numbers or care needs change?
- 03What changes were made after the recent period when some people had difficulty finding staff?
- 04How will you meet my relative's needs if they require nursing care rather than residential personal care?
- 05How are my relative's preferred routines, activities and healthcare appointments recorded and reviewed?
This was an unannounced comprehensive inspection covering all five questions and the overall rating, with follow-up on medicines and care-planning issues from earlier inspections. This explanation was written from the published report of 27 September 2017 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 2016
Quay Court Care Centre was inspected but not rated overall; responsive care was found, but records needed improvement.
This was an unannounced focused inspection on 24 August 2016. Inspectors looked only at whether care was responsive, after concerns that people were being made to get up early and staff were working very long hours. They spoke with seven people, three staff and the registered manager, and checked care records and staff rotas.
Inspectors found no evidence that people were being made or encouraged to get up early. The people spoken with said they were happy to be up, and staff said people could stay in bed as long as they wished. Rotas did not show that staff regularly worked very long hours.
There were problems with record keeping. Three care plans did not record people's preferred getting-up times. Night care records did not always match what staff said had happened or what was recorded on the handover checklist. The responsive question was rated Requires Improvement, and the report recommended better record keeping.
The overall service was not given a new rating in this focused inspection. The previous comprehensive inspection in June 2015 rated the service Good, but this report only covers the concerns about early rising, staff hours and related responsiveness.
Choice about getting up
Staff told inspectors that people could remain in bed for as long as they wished. Inspectors found no evidence that people were being made or encouraged to get up early.
“They said people were able to stay in bed as long as they wished.” from the report
Care followed individual needs
Staff supported a person who was unsettled at night in line with that person's care plan.
“This showed staff were following the information stated in the person's care plan.” from the report
Rotas did not show regular excessive hours
Inspectors checked three weeks of rotas and found that staff were not regularly working the very long patterns described in the concerns.
“The longest period of time staff worked was 12 hours, which was a normal shift for some staff.” from the report
Night records were not always accurate
needs fixingRecords of night care did not always match staff accounts or the night handover checklist. The report recommended that the home explore NHS guidance on record keeping.
“This meant that people's records did not reflect their preferences or the care they had received.” from the report
- 01How do you now record each person's preferred time to get up and any changes to that preference?
- 02How do you check that night care records match what staff say happened and what is written on the handover checklist?
- 03What action did you take after the recommendation to explore NHS guidance on record keeping?
- 04How do you make sure staff normally work no more than 12 hours and have a 12-hour break between shifts?
- 05How are emergency situations managed if a staff member has to work beyond the usual shift pattern?
This was an unannounced focused inspection of Responsive only; the previous ratings and the overall Good rating from the June 2015 comprehensive inspection were not reassessed. This explanation was written from the published report of 21 September 2016 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 Quay Court Care Centre
2 rated inspections over 2 years: the service has held its Good rating throughout.
- September 2017Goodcurrent ratingSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- September 2016Inspected but not ratedResponsive: Requires improvement
- September 2015GoodSafe: Requires improvementEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- April 2014
Report published without a new overall rating.
- February 2014
Report published without a new overall rating.
- January 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- August 2012
Report published without a new overall rating.
- January 2011
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 27 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.
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17 live-in carers within about an hour of Devon
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 £1,020 to £1,270 a week. 15 can care for a couple. 13 years' experience on average.
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