CQC report explained · a nursing home
What the CQC found at Queens Court
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
- Safe?
- Good
- Inspectors found that risks were identified and monitored, medicines records were up to date, and staffing levels were sufficient. Recruitment checks were also in place.
- Effective?
- Good
- Staff had training and supervision, people's health was monitored and referrals were made when needed. Dietary needs and allergies were recorded and catered for.
- Caring?
- Good
- Staff treated people with kindness, dignity and respect. People were encouraged to make decisions and remain as independent as possible.
- Responsive?
- Good
- Care plans reflected people's preferences and changing needs. The home offered activities, supported communication needs, welcomed relatives and investigated complaints.
- Well-led?
- Good
- Inspectors found strong monitoring and governance systems. People, relatives and staff spoke positively about the management, and the home used feedback to make changes.
What inspectors found, July 2022
Rated Good; inspectors found safe, kind and personalised care, with all five areas rated Good.
Inspectors visited unannounced on 20 and 23 June 2022. They spoke with people using the home, relatives and staff. They also reviewed records, medicines, staffing, care plans and infection control.
The inspectors found that people were safe. Risks were assessed, medicines were managed properly and staffing levels were enough to meet people's needs. Infection control arrangements, including the use of protective equipment, were also judged to be effective.
People were supported by trained staff who monitored their health, respected their choices and helped them stay independent. Care plans reflected people's needs and wishes. There was a programme of activities, support for communication needs and arrangements for end of life care.
The home was rated Good in Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. This means the inspectors found the service consistently met the standards they checked. The previous overall rating was also Good, published in July 2019.
Safe medicines and staffing
Inspectors found that people received medicines when needed and that the records checked were complete. Staffing levels were enough to respond quickly to people's needs.
“People received support from sufficient numbers of staff to keep them safe and were quick to respond to their needs.” from the report
Kind and respectful care
Staff were seen treating people with kindness and compassion. They respected people's choices and encouraged independence.
“Throughout the inspection we observed staff interacting with people in a kind and compassionate manner, staff were responsive to people's needs” from the report
Personalised support
Care records included people's health, emotional, physical and medical needs. Staff also recorded communication preferences and understood people's individual ways of expressing themselves.
“Care plans detailed people's health, emotional, physical and medical needs and were regularly reviewed to reflect their changing needs.” from the report
Activities and relationships
People could choose from activities in the home and the wider community. Relatives and important people were welcomed to visit regularly.
“People were encouraged to spend time in the communal areas and participate in planned activities both in the service and in the wider community.” from the report
Strong management oversight
The home used audits, meetings and questionnaires to monitor quality and respond to people's views. Healthcare professionals also reported good communication with the home.
“Governance systems in place ensured there was ongoing robust oversight and monitoring of the service and where issues were identified action was taken to address them swiftly.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01How would you assess and support my relative's particular nursing, dementia, mobility and communication needs before they move in?
- 02How many staff would usually be available during the day and night, and how would you respond if my relative needed urgent help?
- 03How would you manage my relative's medicines, including any medicines needed only when required?
- 04Which activities would suit my relative's interests, abilities and cultural or religious needs?
- 05How would you record and follow my relative's end of life wishes, including who they want involved in their care?
This unannounced inspection rated all five key questions and included infection prevention and control; the report refers to a previous comprehensive inspection published in 2019. This explanation was written from the published report of 27 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, July 2019
Rated Good; inspectors found safe care and strong management, with no evidence that staffing concerns had put people at risk.
This was an unannounced inspection. Inspectors visited on 27 June 2019 and reviewed records, staffing, medicines, risks, incidents and management systems. They spoke with people living in the home, staff and health professionals.
The home was rated Good for Safe and Well-led. Inspectors found enough staff, safe recruitment, suitable risk assessments and safe medicines practice. People said they felt safe and staff knew how to report abuse.
Inspectors found an open culture, clear responsibilities and regular checks on quality. The inspection was prompted partly by concerns about staffing, but inspectors found no evidence that people were at risk of harm from this issue. The previous rating was also Good, published on 28 March 2018.
Staffing and recruitment
Inspectors found staffing levels sufficient during the day and night. Recruitment checks, references and background checks were completed before staff started.
“Records showed that staffing levels were sufficient during the nights, with a minimum of four staff on duty each night at least one of whom was a nurse.” from the report
Safe medicines
Medicines were stored, given and checked safely. Records were complete and staff training was kept up to date.
“People's medicine records were fully completed and up to date.” from the report
Risk management
Risks linked to health, daily life and social activities were assessed and reviewed. Staff had clear plans for issues such as falls, choking and incidents of challenging behaviour.
“Risks were appropriately assessed and measures put in place to mitigate risks, with clear direction for staff.” from the report
Open management
Inspectors found a positive culture where people could raise concerns. The home had clear responsibilities, regular audits and an action plan for improvements.
“The provider's quality assurance systems were robust and contained performance indicators that identified how the service was performing, any areas that required improvement and areas where the service was accomplishing or exceeding targets.” from the report
Clean environment
The home was clean, and staff followed infection control and handwashing practices during the visit.
“The service premises were spotlessly clean.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01How many staff are usually on duty during the day and night, and what happens if a nurse or care worker is absent?
- 02How will you review and update my relative's risk assessments as their health, needs or interests change?
- 03How do you check that medicines records remain complete and that staff medicine training is up to date?
- 04What did your recent quality audits identify, and what actions are still outstanding?
- 05How will you support my relative to see their GP, nurses and other health professionals when needed?
This was an unannounced inspection prompted partly by staffing concerns and it rated Safe and Well-led only; the report does not give ratings for Effective, Caring or Responsive. This explanation was written from the published report of 31 July 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 Queens Court
4 rated inspections over 6 years: the service has held its Good rating throughout.
- July 2022Goodcurrent ratingstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- July 2019Goodstayed GoodSafe: GoodWell-led: Good
- March 2018Goodstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- March 2016GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: Requires improvementResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- July 2014Inspected but not rated
- November 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- January 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- February 2011
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 15 February 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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