CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at Ridgeway House
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
- Safe?
- Good
- Inspectors found suitable risk assessments, safe recruitment, enough staff on duty and safe medicine systems. Infection control arrangements were also found to be suitable.
- Effective?
- Good
- People's needs were assessed before and after moving in. Staff were trained and supervised, people were supported with food and health care, and consent and best-interest decisions were handled properly.
- Caring?
- Good
- Inspectors saw attentive, caring and respectful interactions. People were involved in care planning, given choices and supported to maintain their privacy and independence.
- Responsive?
- Good
- Care plans described people's individual needs, choices and communication methods. People were supported with relationships, activities, trips and complaints.
- Well-led?
- Good
- Inspectors found a person-centred culture, approachable managers and positive staff morale. Audits, meetings and links with other professionals were used to monitor and improve the service.
What inspectors found, February 2022
Rated Good; inspectors found safe, kind and personalised care, with a small concern about staffing cover when someone is off sick.
This was the first inspection since the home registered. Inspectors visited on 6 January 2022, spoke with four people, four relatives, six staff and a visiting professional, and reviewed care, medicine, recruitment and management records.
The home supports up to eight people with mental health needs. Six people were living there during the visit. Inspectors found good arrangements for safety, medicines, food, health care, consent, activities and personalised support.
People and relatives were positive about the care. Inspectors also found a friendly atmosphere, supportive leadership and systems to check quality. All five areas were rated Good.
Kind and respectful support
Inspectors saw caring and respectful interactions. People were offered choices and their privacy and independence were promoted.
“We saw many positive interactions between people and staff throughout the inspection.” from the report
Safe medicines
Staff were trained and checked for competence. Records showed medicines were given as prescribed, with personalised instructions for medicines taken when needed.
“Medicines administration records showed that people received their medicines as prescribed.” from the report
Activities and independence
People were supported to cook, shop, go out, join clubs and maintain relationships. The home also supported people to build everyday skills.
“People had opportunities to socialise and follow interests.” from the report
Checks on quality
Managers used regular audits, meetings and surveys to monitor the home. Staff said they felt supported and able to raise concerns.
“There was a robust programme of audits in place.” from the report
Cover for staff sickness
minorInspectors found enough staff on duty during the visit. However, one staff member said it could be difficult when someone was off sick, so families may want to ask how cover is arranged.
“Generally, there's enough staff on duty, but I feel we could do with more bank staff. When someone goes off sick it's hard.” from the report
- 01How do you maintain staffing levels and support people when a member of staff is off sick?
- 02How are each person's risk assessments and care plans reviewed as their needs or preferences change?
- 03How are people and their relatives involved in decisions about care, activities, meals and the home?
- 04What activities and community opportunities would be available for my relative?
- 05How can we raise a complaint, and how would we be kept informed about the response?
This was the first planned inspection of the newly registered home and covered all five CQC questions, including infection prevention and control under Safe. This explanation was written from the published report of 1 February 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, November 2020
Inspected but not rated; safe and well-led were rated Good, with weaknesses in sharing risk information.
This was the home's first inspection. It was a focused inspection because CQC had received concerns about medicines and risk management. Inspectors looked only at Safe and Well-led, plus infection control. They visited on 16 September 2020, spoke with six staff and checked care records, staff files and other documents.
Inspectors found that people were generally protected from abuse and avoidable harm. Medicines were managed safely, staffing was sufficient during the visit and infection control arrangements were suitable. However, risks were not always communicated clearly to hospital staff and other professionals.
The home was rated Good for Safe and Good for Well-led. The overall service was inspected but not rated because the other three areas were not inspected. CQC said there was no evidence that people had been harmed because of the concerns reviewed.
Medicines managed safely
Inspectors found that medicines were received, stored, given and disposed of safely. There were also detailed instructions for medicines given only when needed.
“Medicines were received, stored and disposed of in line with best practice guidance and medicine administration was managed safely.” from the report
Safeguarding
Staff had safeguarding training and knew how to recognise and report possible abuse. Staff said they felt confident that managers would listen and act on concerns.
“Staff received training in safeguarding and were knowledgeable about recognising and reporting signs of abuse.” from the report
Supportive management
The manager promoted person-centred care and staff said they felt supported. Inspectors found that notifications and complaints were handled appropriately.
“There were quality assurance systems in place to ensure quality of care and safety were maintained in the home.” from the report
Infection control
Inspectors were assured about the home's arrangements for preventing and managing infection, including the use of protective equipment and testing.
“We were assured that the provider was using PPE effectively and safely.” from the report
Risk information was not always shared
needs fixingDetails about people's risks, including self-harm risks, were not always communicated effectively to hospital staff and other professionals. The manager provided evidence that documents had been updated after the inspection.
“Where risks were identified, these were not always communicated effectively.” from the report
Incident records lacked detail
needs fixingSome records did not clearly explain what action had been taken after self-harm, injuries or other incidents. This made it harder to see how future risks would be reduced.
“At times incident reports completed by staff needed more detail around the actions taken.” from the report
Some PRN records were incomplete
needs fixingSome behaviour charts recorded that medicine given when needed had been used, but did not say why it was given or which medicine was used. The manager said this would be addressed.
“Documentation did not include detail about why the person had been given this or which medicine had been administered.” from the report
One recruitment file was incomplete
minorOne staff file did not show that original identification documents had been checked and signed for.
“One staff file did not have their identification documents signed to show that the original one's had been seen.” from the report
- 01How do you now make sure self-harm and other important risks are clearly shared with hospitals and other professionals?
- 02How do managers check that incident records explain what happened and what action was taken to prevent a repeat?
- 03How do you record why a PRN medicine was given and which medicine was administered?
- 04What action was taken after the inspection to improve risk communication and incident recording?
- 05How are people involved in choosing and recruiting the staff who support them?
This was a focused inspection of Safe and Well-led, including infection control; Effective, Caring and Responsive were not inspected and no ratings were given for them. This explanation was written from the published report of 12 November 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 Ridgeway House
Each visit the CQC has published, newest first, back to the day the home was registered.
- February 2022Goodcurrent ratingSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- November 2020Inspected but not ratedSafe: GoodWell-led: Good
- September 2019
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 13 September 2019.
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.
Weigh the report against the rest
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44 live-in carers within about an hour of Swindon
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 £990 to £1,280 a week. 34 can care for a couple. 12 years' experience on average.
“Linet became her carer and all changed, my daughter started eating, taking her medications and more important her happiness came back.”
“She was very caring, kind and patient to all his needs, she built up a wondetful rapport with him, she was dedicated and was there for him through good times as well as through the tough times”
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.