CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at Rodlands Care Home
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
- Safe?
- Good
- People were considered safe, with enough staff and suitable risk assessments. Inspectors found that people received medicines as prescribed, although guidance for occasional medicines had been missing at first and some recruitment records were incomplete.
- Effective?
- Good
- This area was not inspected during this visit. Its rating was carried forward from the previous inspection.
- Caring?
- Good
- This area was not inspected during this visit. Its rating was carried forward from the previous inspection.
- Responsive?
- Good
- This area was not inspected during this visit. Its rating was carried forward from the previous inspection.
- Well-led?
- Good
- Staff and professionals described the home as well run and supportive. However, audits had not identified some medicine and recruitment problems, so inspectors recommended stronger governance and oversight.
What inspectors found, June 2023
Rodlands Care Home was rated Good; inspectors found people were safe and well supported, but some medicine, recruitment and oversight records needed improvement.
This was an unannounced inspection on 12 and 14 June 2023. One inspector and an Expert by Experience spoke with 9 people, 7 staff and 3 health and social care professionals. They also checked care, medicine, recruitment and management records.
The home was rated Good overall. The Safe and Well-led areas were inspected and both were rated Good. People had enough staff, received medicines as prescribed, and were protected by risk, safeguarding and infection control systems.
Inspectors found some gaps. Guidance for occasional medicines was not initially in place. Some recruitment records were incomplete, and the quality checks had not found these issues. The deputy manager acted during the inspection, and inspectors recommended stronger oversight.
The other areas were not inspected during this visit. Their ratings were carried forward from the previous inspection, which was published on 31 July 2018. The overall rating remained Good.
Enough staff
Inspectors found enough staff to meet people's needs. People said staff were available and responded quickly.
“There were enough staff on duty. Staff were available to people when they needed them.” from the report
Infection control
The home was clean and hygienic, with suitable arrangements to prevent and manage infections.
“Infection prevention and control procedures were robust, the home was clean and hygienic.” from the report
Safe medicines systems
Medicines were given as prescribed. Storage, timing, checks and staff competency arrangements were described as safe.
“A robust system was in place to ensure people received their medicines on time” from the report
Supportive staff culture
Staff said they felt appreciated, supported and involved. Inspectors found an open culture for raising concerns and learning from incidents.
“Staff felt appreciated, part of the family and supported and were proud to work at Rodlands Care Home.” from the report
Medicine guidance
needs fixingGuidance for medicines taken occasionally was not in place at the start of the inspection. It was put in place by the second day.
“However, guidance was not always in place for medicines people took occasionally to ensure consistency.” from the report
Management checks
needs fixingThe home's audits had not identified the medicine and recruitment record problems. Inspectors recommended stronger governance systems and oversight.
“Quality assurance systems in place to monitor and improve the standard of the home were not always robust.” from the report
- 01What guidance is now in place for medicines that residents take occasionally, and how is staff practice checked?
- 02How do you check that employment gaps and medical fitness information are complete before staff start work?
- 03What changes have been made to the audit and governance systems since the inspection?
- 04How are residents and relatives involved in surveys, meetings and decisions about changes to the home?
- 05How will you show us current information about the Effective, Caring and Responsive areas, which were not inspected during this visit?
This was an unannounced focused inspection of Safe and Well-led only; the other key question ratings were carried forward from the previous inspection published on 31 July 2018. This explanation was written from the published report of 28 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, July 2018
Rodlands Care Home was rated Good; inspectors found safe, kind and personalised care, with some improvements still needed to the environment and activities.
This was a comprehensive inspection over three days. The first day was unannounced and the next two were announced. Inspectors spoke with people living in the home, relatives, staff and health professionals. They also reviewed care plans, medicines records, staff records and other documents, and observed care.
The home was rated Good in all five areas: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. Inspectors found people were safe, medicines were managed properly, staff were trained, and people's health, nutrition, choices and rights were supported.
Staff were described as kind and respectful. Care plans reflected people's routines, preferences and backgrounds. People could make choices about their daily lives, activities, food, clothing and when they got up or went to bed.
The home remained Good overall, as it was at the previous inspection. Effective care improved from Requires Improvement to Good because records about consent and decisions made under the Mental Capacity Act had been improved.
People felt safe
Staff understood safeguarding and individual risks. Medicines, equipment, emergency plans and infection control were managed safely.
“People had personalised risk assessments that staff understood and used to help reduce the risk of avoidable harm.” from the report
Kind and individual care
Staff knew people well and respected their choices, privacy, dignity and independence. Care plans reflected people's personal preferences.
“People were supported by staff who were kind, attentive and knew them well.” from the report
Improved consent records
The home had acted on the previous inspection's concerns about Mental Capacity Act records. Inspectors found consent and best interest decisions were now recorded properly.
“We found at this inspection that people's consent had been recorded and care provided to people who did not have capacity to consent was recorded as having been decided within the framework of the MCA 2005.” from the report
Good health support
People received support with eating, drinking and health appointments. A nurse visited weekly as part of work to help people stay well and avoid unnecessary hospital admissions.
“The home had established pro-active working relationships with health professionals which were helping people to stay well for longer and prevent unnecessary hospital admissions.” from the report
Dementia-friendly environment
needs fixingInspectors recommended that the home use current best practice when improving the environment for people living with dementia. Some refurbishment had already started.
“Given the increasing needs of people living at the home we recommend that the home considers current guidance on best practice to make the home environment more 'dementia friendly' during its refurbishment programme.” from the report
Family involvement in care planning
needs fixingAlthough there was evidence that some people and relatives had been involved, two relatives said they had not been involved in care planning or reviews.
“Although we saw evidence, and heard from people and their relatives, that they had been involved in these plans two relatives we spoke with by phone told us they had not been involved in care planning or reviews.” from the report
Afternoon-only activities
minorPeople were happy with the activities available, but these had only been provided in the afternoons since the previous activities coordinator left.
“People said they were happy with activities at the home although these had only been provided in the afternoons since the previous activities coordinator left in summer 2017.” from the report
Staff meeting quality
minorInspectors found staff meetings were sometimes focused on tasks. The notes did not show enough reflection, learning or sharing of good practice.
“Staff meetings could be used as an opportunity for reflection, learning and sharing good practice.” from the report
- 01What changes have been made to make the environment more dementia-friendly since this inspection?
- 02What activities are available now, including in the mornings and at weekends?
- 03How will relatives be involved in care planning and reviews?
- 04How are staff meetings now used for reflection, learning and sharing good practice?
- 05How do you check that consent and best interest decisions are recorded correctly?
This was a comprehensive inspection covering all five key questions, with the previous Effective rating improved from Requires Improvement to Good and the other ratings remaining Good. This explanation was written from the published report of 31 July 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 Rodlands Care Home
3 rated inspections over 7 years: the service has held its Good rating throughout.
- June 2023Goodcurrent ratingstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- July 2018Goodstayed GoodSafe: GoodWell-led: Good
- July 2016GoodSafe: GoodEffective: Requires improvementCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- October 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- August 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- March 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- January 2012
Report published without a new overall rating.
- July 2011
Report published without a new overall rating.
- January 2011
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 17 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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