CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at Redcroft
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
- Safe?
- Good
- People were protected from avoidable harm, risks were reviewed, staffing was sufficient and infection-control arrangements were satisfactory. Inspectors found some gaps in safeguarding information sharing, medicine recording and night staff fire-drill practice.
- Effective?
- Good
- This area was not inspected during this visit. Its previous rating was used when calculating the overall rating.
- Caring?
- Good
- This area was not inspected during this visit. Its previous rating was used when calculating the overall rating.
- Responsive?
- Outstanding
- This area was not inspected during this visit. Its previous rating was used when calculating the overall rating.
- Well-led?
- Good
- Inspectors found an open and inclusive culture, good communication and quality checks that were used to improve care. People, families and staff had opportunities to give feedback.
What inspectors found, June 2023
Rated Good; inspectors found safe, person-centred care, with some medicine records and fire-drill checks needing improvement.
The home provides personal care for 10 people with learning disabilities or autism. Two inspectors visited without notice on 18 May 2023. They spoke with four people and seven staff, observed care, and checked care, medicine, recruitment and management records.
The home was rated Good overall, with Good ratings for Safe and Well-led. Inspectors found that people were supported to make choices, risks were assessed, staffing was sufficient, and staff knew people well.
There were some shortfalls. Topical cream applications were not always recorded accurately, night staff had not completed a fire drill, and information about some safeguarding issues had not always been shared with outside organisations. The manager took action during or shortly after the inspection.
Choice and communication
Staff communicated in ways that met people's needs and supported their choices, rights and independence.
“Staff communicated with people in ways that met their needs.” from the report
Risk management
People were involved in decisions about their risks, and staff regularly reviewed risk information and shared updates.
“People were involved in decisions about how risks were managed, ensuring a balance between safety and the persons rights and freedoms.” from the report
Staffing
Inspectors found enough staff with suitable skills and experience. People received support promptly, including time for conversation and emotional support.
“We observed people receiving care and support in a timely way, staff having time to sit and talk with people, providing both practical and emotional support when needed.” from the report
Positive culture
The home had an open, friendly culture. Staff felt supported and people, families and staff could share views and ideas.
“We observed an open, friendly, happy culture were staff were focused on people experiencing positive outcomes, supporting people to express their views, maximising their ambitions and goals.” from the report
Safeguarding information sharing
needs fixingSome potential safeguarding issues had been investigated, but information had not always been shared with outside organisations.
“Information had not always been shared with external organisations.” from the report
Medicine records
needs fixingThe administration of topical creams was not always recorded accurately. The manager changed the process and arranged training during the inspection.
“The administration of topical creams had not always been recorded accurately.” from the report
Night staff fire drills
needs fixingNight staff had not completed fire-drill practice. The manager arranged drills within two days and monthly afterwards.
“Night staff fire drill practice had not been completed.” from the report
Medicine fridge
needs fixingThe medicine fridge was not lockable, although no medicines were stored in it at the time. The manager arranged a secure fridge to be delivered within two days.
“A fridge was available to store medicines needing cold storage but couldn't be locked.” from the report
- 01Have all topical cream records been completed accurately since the new recording process was introduced?
- 02Was the secure, lockable medicine fridge delivered and put into use as planned?
- 03Have all night staff completed fire-drill practice, and is this now happening monthly?
- 04How are potential safeguarding concerns shared with external organisations?
- 05What were the latest feedback results from people, families and staff?
This inspection assessed Safe and Well-led, including infection prevention and control; the other key-question ratings were not reassessed and the previous ratings were used for the overall rating. This explanation was written from the published report of 16 June 2023 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, November 2018
Rated Good overall; inspectors found kind, safe care and Outstanding responsiveness, with a few minor safety and medicines actions still noted.
Inspectors visited without notice on 31 July and 2 August 2018. They spoke with people living at the home, staff, a relative and a health professional. They observed care and checked care records, medicines records, staff files, rotas, training and quality checks.
People were described as safe, happy and treated with kindness. Staff understood people's needs, supported their choices and helped them take part in activities and the local community. Care plans were up to date, medicines were managed safely and there were enough staff.
The home was rated Good overall and Good for Safe, Effective, Caring and Well-led. Responsive was rated Outstanding because people had strong opportunities to set goals, use accessible information, develop independence and take part in activities that mattered to them.
Personal goals and independence
People were involved in setting goals and were supported to build confidence, develop skills and make more choices for themselves.
“People were supported to make goals and staff were very effective in assisting people to achieve these” from the report
Accessible communication
The home adapted information for people's needs, including using braille, pictorial information and recording buttons.
“Technology had been used in an innovative way to support people and they had been involved in setting this up.” from the report
Meaningful activities
Activities were based on individual interests and included education, sport, hobbies, outings and community activities.
“There was an emphasis on meaningful activity and following interests.” from the report
Kind relationships
People appeared settled and comfortable, and staff knew their backgrounds, interests and preferences.
“People were treated with kindness, respect and compassion.” from the report
Fire system testing
needs fixingThe fire safety system had not been tested often enough in some earlier months. The home's monitoring identified this, and inspectors said more recent testing met the required frequency.
“The fire log book showed that there had been some months earlier in the year when the fire safety system had not been tested to the required frequency.” from the report
Medicines follow-up
minorThe home still needed to obtain a thermometer for the medicines fridge and add more detail to some guidance about when to offer pain relief.
“The registered manager agreed to buy a maximum/minimum thermometer as had been agreed at the last pharmacy audit in February.” from the report
- 01Has the maximum/minimum thermometer for the medicines fridge been bought, and how are fridge temperatures recorded now?
- 02What extra guidance is now in place about when staff should offer as-required pain medicines?
- 03How do people still help set their own goals, chair meetings or choose activities?
- 04How are accessible communication tools, such as braille and recording buttons, kept up to date?
- 05How does the home check that fire safety testing continues to happen at the required frequency?
This was an unannounced inspection covering all five key questions and providing an overall rating; the previous comprehensive inspection, published in January 2016, had rated the home Good with no breaches. This explanation was written from the published report of 24 November 2018 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 Redcroft
3 rated inspections over 7 years: the service has held its Good rating throughout.
- June 2023Goodcurrent ratingstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: OutstandingWell-led: Good
- November 2018Goodstayed GoodSafe: GoodWell-led: Good
- January 2016GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- December 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- September 2012
Report published without a new overall rating.
- June 2011
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 29 June 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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