CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at Redcote House Residential Care Home
Rated Inadequate: inspectors found the home performing badly and the CQC has taken enforcement action.
What inspectors found, March 2020
Rated Requires Improvement; inspectors found kind and responsive care, but medicines, staff training, equipment and management checks needed improvement.
This was an unannounced inspection on 25 February 2020. Inspectors spoke with people living at the home, relatives and staff. They reviewed care plans, medicines records, staff files and management records.
The home was caring and responsive. People were treated with kindness and dignity. Their care plans were personalised, activities reflected their interests, and complaints were investigated. Staff worked with health professionals and supported people's food, communication and end of life needs.
There were important weaknesses in safety, effectiveness and management. Medicines records were not always accurate, some equipment was damaged, and some staff had not received required training. The building was worn, and management checks had not always found or dealt with problems quickly.
The overall rating changed from Good at the previous inspection to Requires Improvement. The home was not placed in special measures in this report. CQC said it would monitor progress and return under its re-inspection programme.
Kind and respectful care
People and relatives spoke highly of the staff. Inspectors saw staff interact positively and support people's dignity, choices and independence.
“Everyone is so nice here. The staff can't do enough for you.” from the report
Personalised support
Care plans included people's needs, preferences, communication requirements and important personal information. Staff involved people, relatives and legal representatives in developing them.
“People had personalised, comprehensive care plans in place which enabled staff to know how to support them best.” from the report
Activities and relationships
People could choose from activities linked to their interests. Staff also supported people to maintain important relationships and religious or cultural connections.
“There was an activity program place which offered variety of activities for people to choose from.” from the report
Risk management and staffing levels
Risks linked to people's care were assessed and measures were put in place. Inspectors found enough staff to meet people's needs, with shortfalls covered by other staff and managers.
“Risks associated with people's care had been identified, assessed and measures were in place to reduce the risk of harm.” from the report
Medicine records
seriousMedicine administration instructions were not always clear, and stock records were not always accurate. The manager took immediate action after this was raised and introduced daily audits.
“Some stock was not able to be audited as information about medicine in stock was not up to date and accurately recorded on the MAR chart.” from the report
Damaged equipment
seriousSome equipment, including damaged wooden bath coverings, could not be cleaned effectively. CQC recommended reviewing equipment to reduce infection risks.
“Some equipment in the service was damaged therefore compromised infection control to people.” from the report
Staff training
needs fixingSeven care staff had not received safeguarding training and three had not received moving and handling training. Some staff also said they had received no training during induction.
“Staff did not always receive relevant training to their role.” from the report
Worn environment
needs fixingParts of the home were damaged and needed attention. CQC recommended that the provider review its refurbishment plan.
“However, the environment was worn and required attention.” from the report
Slow quality improvement
needs fixingManagement audits did not identify every problem found by inspectors. Where problems were identified, actions were not always prioritised or completed quickly enough.
“However, not all quality audits identified the concerns which were found upon inspection.” from the report
- 01Have all medicine stock records and administration instructions been checked and corrected since the inspection?
- 02Has the damaged bath equipment been replaced, and how are you checking that equipment remains safe and cleanable?
- 03Have all care staff completed safeguarding and moving and handling training, and what training is now included in induction?
- 04What refurbishment work has been completed since the inspection, and what remains outstanding?
- 05How do you now check that audits identify problems and that improvement actions are completed promptly?
This unannounced inspection looked at the care, premises, records, staffing and management of the home across all five CQC key questions. This explanation was written from the published report of 13 March 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.
What inspectors found, July 2017
Rated Good; inspectors found safe, kind and personalised care, with some record-keeping and security issues identified.
Inspectors visited the home without warning on 20 June 2017. They spoke with people living there, a relative and staff. They observed care and checked care records, staffing, training, medicines and quality checks.
The home was rated Good in all five areas: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. Inspectors found enough staff, suitable training, safe medicines systems and good support with health, food and drink.
People were treated with kindness and respect. They were involved in decisions about their care and could choose activities, meals and how they spent their time. The home had stayed Good since the previous inspection in March 2015.
Inspectors found some minor shortfalls. These included incomplete records of staff supervision, an insecure drawer containing some care records, a garden gate that could be forced, and activity information that was not clearly displayed. The home took immediate action on some of these points.
Safe staffing and recruitment
There were enough staff on duty, and checks were completed before new staff started work.
“Background checks had been completed before any new staff started to work at the home and there were enough staff available over each shift” from the report
Kind and respectful care
People reported positive relationships with staff. Inspectors saw staff communicate respectfully and support people's dignity and privacy.
“People we spoke with told us that positive and caring relationships had been developed with them through the interactions and care they received from staff at the home.” from the report
Personal choice
People were involved in decisions about their care, meals, routines and activities. Staff supported independence where possible.
“People were involved in making decisions about their care and how they wanted to be supported.” from the report
Good health and nutrition support
People were helped to access healthcare and to eat and drink enough. Staff monitored weight and fluid intake when needed.
“People received all of the help they needed to maintain their physical health and had access to the food and drinks they enjoyed and needed” from the report
Quality monitoring
The home used audits, meetings, surveys and action plans to monitor and improve its services.
“The registered persons had a range of meetings, checks and audit systems in place to enable them to assess, monitor and continually improve the quality of the services they provided.” from the report
Supervision records
needs fixingRecords did not consistently show how often staff supervision meetings took place. The manager said this had already been recognised and would be reviewed.
“However, records had not consistently been maintained to demonstrate the frequency of the meetings.” from the report
Care-record security
needs fixingSome daily care records were kept in an unlocked drawer in a communal area. The manager took immediate action to secure the drawer and said the storage arrangements would be reviewed.
“However, we did see that some daily care record information contained in a separate folder was stored in a drawer in one of the main communal areas of the home.” from the report
Garden gate security
needs fixingInspectors found that the garden gate could potentially be forced open. The manager took immediate action to review this and order extra fencing.
“However, when we looked at the gate we saw that although it was secure there was a risk it could be forced open if pressure was applied to it.” from the report
Activity information
minorThe home provided activities and trips, but information about planned activities was not clearly displayed. The manager said this would be made more accessible.
“However, information about what activities were due to be provided was not clearly displayed in the home for people to see.” from the report
Complaint information
minorThe complaints information did not contain up-to-date contact details for the local ombudsman. The document was updated immediately after inspectors raised this.
“We noted that the information about how to complain contained in the registered persons statement of purpose did not include up to date contact details for the local ombudsman.” from the report
- 01Have the records of staff supervision meetings been updated, and how often are these meetings now recorded?
- 02Where are daily care records stored now, and how is their confidentiality protected?
- 03What extra fencing or other work was completed to make the garden gate secure?
- 04How can residents and relatives see the current activities timetable?
- 05Have the complaints documents been updated with the correct ombudsman contact details?
This was an unannounced planned inspection covering all five CQC questions and the overall rating, with checks of care, staffing, records and management systems. This explanation was written from the published report of 13 July 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.
Every inspection of Redcote House Residential Care Home
3 rated inspections over 5 years: the service has slipped, from Good to Requires improvement.
- March 2020Requires improvementcurrent ratingdown from GoodSafe: Requires improvementEffective: Requires improvementCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Requires improvement
Read what inspectors found at Redcote House Residential Care Home →
- July 2017Goodstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
Read what inspectors found at Redcote House Residential Care Home →
- June 2015GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- June 2014
Report published without a new overall rating.
- June 2014
Report published without a new overall rating.
- November 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- February 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- November 2012
Report published without a new overall rating.
- November 2010
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 3 November 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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9 live-in carers within about an hour of Lincolnshire
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.
8 can care for a couple. 10 years' experience on average.
“Martin was more than a carer, he managed the home and became my uncle's best friend, enriching his life during his last few years.”
“Magda was always positive and proactive about trying new things to keep dad busy. She also introduced new ideas for keeping dad healthy.”
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.