CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at Roper House
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
- Safe?
- Good
- Inspectors found that risks were assessed and managed, staffing levels met people's needs, medicines were managed safely and staff knew how to respond to abuse and incidents.
- Effective?
- Good
- Care plans reflected people's communication, sensory and health needs. Staff had relevant training, people received support with food and healthcare, and consent and best-interest decisions were recorded.
- Caring?
- Good
- People and relatives described staff as kind, supportive and respectful. Inspectors saw positive interactions and found that people were supported to maintain privacy, dignity and independence.
- Responsive?
- Good
- Care was personalised and plans were updated when needs changed. People were supported with communication, relationships, interests, activities and end-of-life choices.
- Well-led?
- Good
- Inspectors found effective checks on medicines, infection prevention, incidents and accidents. People, relatives and staff were able to give feedback, and the manager worked with outside professionals.
What inspectors found, February 2023
Roper House is rated Good; inspectors found safe, kind and personalised care, with some people saying they did not always like the food.
Inspectors visited without notice on 11 and 12 January 2023. They spoke with people, relatives and staff, reviewed care plans, medicines records and management records, and checked infection prevention measures. A British Sign Language interpreter and an Expert by Experience were part of the inspection.
All five areas were rated Good: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. Inspectors found enough trained staff, safe medicines management, suitable risk checks and good support from health professionals.
People were supported to communicate in ways they understood, including British Sign Language, picture formats and finger signing. Staff were described as kind and respectful. People had choices about their rooms, activities, meals and daily lives, and relatives were involved in care decisions.
The report says some people did not always like the food, although the home supported takeaways and meals out where possible. A new activities coordinator was also expected to increase the variety of activities.
Communication support
Staff used British Sign Language, picture formats, alphabet charts and finger signing. People could access an independent British Sign Language interpreter for healthcare appointments.
“People were supported by some staff who were also deaf and used BSL as their first language.” from the report
Kind and respectful care
People and relatives said staff were kind and supportive. Inspectors saw staff treating people with dignity and respecting their privacy.
“People received kind and compassionate care. Staff protected and respected people's privacy and dignity.” from the report
Choice and independence
People could personalise their rooms, choose where to take medicines and use facilities such as the tea room. Staff supported people to make choices and become more independent.
“People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.” from the report
Safe medicines
Medicines were stored securely, records were up to date and medicine counts were accurate. Staff used alternatives before considering medicines to control behaviour.
“People's medicines were being administered and managed safely.” from the report
Food preferences
minorSome people said they did not always like the food. The home supported takeaways and meals out as often as possible, but families may want to ask how individual food preferences are being addressed.
“Although people told us they did not always like the food, some told us they would like to have a takeaway every day or they would like to go to the pub every day for dinner.” from the report
- 01How do you record and respond when someone does not like the food?
- 02What activities are now available since the new activities coordinator started?
- 03Which staff on the current team use British Sign Language, and how will communication be supported on every shift?
- 04How will my relative be involved in care planning and best-interest decisions if they cannot make a particular decision?
- 05How do you check that medicines remain necessary and that alternatives to behaviour-control medicines are tried first?
This was an unannounced inspection covering all five key questions, the care and premises, and infection prevention measures; it was the first inspection under the new provider. This explanation was written from the published report of 10 February 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.
Every inspection of Roper House
5 rated inspections over 6 years: the service has improved, from Requires improvement to Good.
- February 2023Goodcurrent ratingstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- January 2020Goodup from Requires improvementSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- December 2018Requires improvementstayed Requires improvementSafe: Requires improvementEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Requires improvement
- September 2017Requires improvementstayed Requires improvementSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: Requires improvementWell-led: Requires improvement
- August 2016Requires improvementSafe: GoodEffective: Requires improvementCaring: Requires improvementResponsive: GoodWell-led: Requires improvement
- June 2021
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 30 June 2021.
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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39 live-in carers within about an hour of Kent
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 £980 to £1,260 a week. 33 can care for a couple. 12 years' experience on average.
“Always on time and with a lovely smile for my mum. Theresa is kind and sensitive to my mum's needs.”
“Irene was a very kind and empathetic carer who knew just the right words to say to put a smile on my face.”
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.