CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at Rookery Cottage
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
- Safe?
- Good
- People were found to be safe, with regular risk assessments, enough staff, safe medicine systems and suitable infection control. Safeguarding procedures and accident follow-up were also in place.
- Effective?
- Good
- This key question was not assessed during this focused inspection. Its rating therefore carried over from the previous inspection.
- Caring?
- Good
- This key question was not assessed during this focused inspection. Its rating therefore carried over from the previous inspection.
- Responsive?
- Good
- This key question was not assessed during this focused inspection. Its rating therefore carried over from the previous inspection.
- Well-led?
- Good
- Inspectors found approachable managers, positive staff teamwork, regular feedback from relatives and effective oversight of care. An electronic care planning system supported access to records and management checks.
What inspectors found, January 2023
Rookery Cottage was rated Good overall; inspectors found safe care and strong leadership, but this was a focused review of only two areas.
The inspection was unannounced and took place on 13 and 14 December 2022. Inspectors spoke with people living in the home, relatives, managers and staff. They reviewed care, medicine, recruitment, safeguarding and management records.
The home was rated Good for Safe and Well-led. Inspectors found enough staff, regular risk reviews, safe medicine systems, suitable infection control and appropriate follow-up when accidents or falls happened. People, relatives and staff gave positive feedback about the care and the management.
This was a focused inspection because concerns had been received about people's care. Inspectors found no evidence to support those concerns. The overall Good rating also used ratings from the previous inspection for the other areas, which were not assessed this time.
People were kept safe
Risk assessments covered known risks and were reviewed when people's needs changed. Staff understood safeguarding procedures and there were enough staff to provide safe care.
“People were cared for safely. Risk assessments were in place and reviewed regularly, and as people's needs changed.” from the report
Positive feedback
People, relatives and staff spoke positively about the friendliness, warmth and responsiveness of the service.
“All of the feedback from people, relatives and staff was positive about the approachability, availability and responsiveness of the providers, and the friendliness and warmth of the staff team.” from the report
Staff learning
The provider supported training, care qualifications, mentoring and specialist areas of care. Inspectors found an ongoing culture of learning.
“The providers were committed to investing in the training and continuous learning of their experienced staff team for the benefit of people living in the service.” from the report
Care planning oversight
A recently introduced electronic care planning system gave staff access to records and helped managers oversee care and act on improvements.
“An electronic care planning system had recently been introduced and was embedded into practice.” from the report
Open management
Managers sought views from people, relatives and staff. Staff knew how to raise concerns and relatives said issues were followed up.
“The registered managers actively sought the views of others. People, relatives and staff were involved and their feedback sought on a regular basis.” from the report
Some employment histories were incomplete
minorNot all application forms contained full employment histories. The manager followed this up immediately when inspectors raised it.
“Not all application forms included full employment histories and the registered manager followed this up immediately when it was brought to their attention.” from the report
Incident analysis was still being embedded
minorAccidents, incidents and falls were recorded and followed up. However, the document for regular formal oversight and analysis was still being put into routine practice.
“A document to formally record oversight and analysis on a regular basis was being embedded into practice.” from the report
Visiting arrangements needed clarification
minorSome relatives were still making appointments before visiting, even though visits were meant to be unrestricted. Managers clarified this with relatives when it was raised.
“Some relatives told us they still made appointments before visiting.” from the report
- 01How do you now make sure every staff application includes a full employment history?
- 02How are accidents, incidents and falls reviewed, analysed and recorded now?
- 03Can relatives visit without making an appointment, and how will visiting arrangements be communicated?
- 04How will you keep me informed about changes in my relative's risks and care plan?
- 05How do you use feedback from relatives to make improvements?
This was a focused inspection of Safe and Well-led only; the other ratings carried over from the previous inspection published on 28 March 2019. This explanation was written from the published report of 20 January 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, March 2019
Rated Good; inspectors found safe, kind and personalised care, with improvements since the previous inspection.
The inspection was unannounced. Inspectors visited the home on 5 March 2019 and spoke to people, relatives, staff and healthcare professionals. They also observed care, checked care records, staff recruitment files, medicines records and management documents.
The home was rated Good in all five areas: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. Inspectors found enough staff, suitable care plans, safe medicines systems, a clean environment and kind care. People and relatives said they were happy with the care.
The home had improved since the previous inspection, when it was rated Requires Improvement overall and in Safe and Well-led. The report says proof of staff identity, staff supervision, medicines systems and quality monitoring had improved.
Enough staff
Inspectors found enough staff to meet people's individual needs. The provider increased staffing when necessary and had improved recruitment records.
“People confirmed, and we saw there were enough staff available to meet people's individual needs.” from the report
Kind, homely care
People, relatives and professionals described a warm atmosphere with strong family and community links. Staff were observed treating people and visitors warmly.
“People, relatives, staff and healthcare professionals told us Rookery Cottage had a homely atmosphere and a strong emphasis on the importance of family and community connections.” from the report
Personalised support
Care plans included people's life histories, preferences, cultural needs and interests. Plans were reviewed regularly with people and relatives.
“Care plans had been reviewed at least weekly with people and their relatives.” from the report
Improved management checks
The management team had introduced audits covering medicines, infection control and health and safety. These systems were embedded in practice.
“Robust monitoring systems had been implemented to monitor the quality and safety of the service and identify areas of further development.” from the report
Clean and comfortable environment
The home had recently been refurbished and inspectors found it clean, tidy and suitable for people's needs, including people living with dementia.
“The environment was bright and airy and the use of limited space well-considered.” from the report
Some as-needed medicines awaiting review
minorProtocols for medicines given when needed were still awaiting GP review. Inspectors saw staff giving these medicines as prescribed, so this was a minor outstanding issue at the visit.
“Protocols for medicines required 'as needed' were in place but awaiting GP review.” from the report
- 01Have the protocols for medicines given when needed now been reviewed by the GP?
- 02How do you check that staffing levels remain enough for my relative's individual needs?
- 03How often will my relative's care plan be reviewed with us?
- 04What activities would be suitable for my relative's interests and communication needs?
- 05How will you keep us involved in decisions about healthcare and end of life care?
This was an unannounced inspection covering the home, the care provided and all five CQC questions; inspectors visited on 5 March and telephoned relatives on 6 March 2019. This explanation was written from the published report of 28 March 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 Rookery Cottage
4 rated inspections over 7 years: the service has held its Good rating throughout.
- January 2023Goodcurrent ratingstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- March 2019Goodup from Requires improvementSafe: GoodWell-led: Good
- March 2018Requires improvementdown from GoodSafe: Requires improvementEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Requires improvement
- January 2016GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- March 2014
Report published without a new overall rating.
- August 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- October 2012
Report published without a new overall rating.
- May 2012
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 25 May 2012.
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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