CQC report explained · a nursing home
What the CQC found at Rusthall Lodge Care Home
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
- Safe?
- Good
- People were protected from abuse and avoidable harm. Risks, medicines, infection control, staffing and recruitment were managed safely.
- Effective?
- Good
- People's health, nutrition and hydration needs were assessed and supported. Staff had suitable training and worked with health and social care professionals.
- Caring?
- Good
- People were treated with kindness, dignity and respect. Staff involved people in decisions and supported independence.
- Responsive?
- Good
- Care was personalised around people's needs, preferences and routines. People had access to activities, communication support and end-of-life care.
- Well-led?
- Good
- The home had an experienced manager, clear staff roles and systems for monitoring quality. Feedback from people, relatives and staff was used to support improvements.
What inspectors found, January 2020
Rusthall Lodge Care Home was rated Good; inspectors found safe, kind and personalised care, with one concern about a complaint response.
The inspection was unannounced and took place on 28 November 2019. Inspectors spoke with seven people living at the home, six relatives and 10 staff. They also observed care and checked care plans, staff records, medicines information and management records.
All five areas were rated Good: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. Inspectors found enough staff, safe medicines practice, suitable training, good support with health and nutrition, and respectful relationships.
People were involved in their care and had access to activities, healthcare and support at the end of life. The home had systems to check quality and respond to concerns, although one relative said a concern had not received a good response. The manager acted after this was raised.
Kind relationships
People and relatives spoke positively about staff. Inspectors saw respectful and warm interactions throughout the visit.
“Throughout our inspection we observed staff interacted positively with people and had formed respectful relationships with them and their relatives.” from the report
Safe staffing
Inspectors found enough staff to meet people's needs. Call bells were answered promptly and recruitment checks were completed.
“Throughout our inspection we observed call bells were answered promptly, and staff were attentive to people who chose to stay in their rooms or needed to because of their health needs.” from the report
Personalised support
Care plans recorded people's preferences, choices and communication needs. Staff supported people to follow their own routines and interests.
“People received care that was personalised and supported choice and control.” from the report
Activities and relationships
People could choose from varied activities and were supported to maintain relationships with those close to them.
“People were supported to access and participate in meaningful activities that were relevant to them.” from the report
One complaint response
needs fixingOne relative said they had not received a good response to a concern. Inspectors raised this with the manager, who took action to address it.
“Another relative told us they hadn't received a good response in relation to a concern they had raised.” from the report
- 01How was the complaint concern followed up, and what changed as a result?
- 02The report says some actions from the provider's own mock inspection were still in progress. Have all of these actions now been completed?
- 03How will you assess and meet my relative's individual health, communication, dietary and mobility needs?
- 04How are relatives kept informed when a person's needs change or concerns are raised?
- 05What activities would be suitable if my relative does not want to join group activities?
This was an unannounced planned inspection covering the overall quality of the service, including care, premises and management; all five key questions were rated. This explanation was written from the published report of 8 January 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.
What inspectors found, May 2017
Rated Good; inspectors found safe, kind and personalised care, with some care records needing improvement.
This was an unannounced comprehensive inspection on 30 March 2017. Inspectors spoke with people living at the home, relatives, staff and the manager. They reviewed care plans, medicines, recruitment records, activities, menus and quality checks.
The home was rated Good in all five areas: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. Inspectors found enough staff, safe medicines management, suitable training and kind care. People were supported with food, health needs, activities, privacy and independence.
The home remained Good, as at the previous inspection. Inspectors recommended improvements to risk assessments for epilepsy and diabetes, records of repositioning, and evidence that unused medicines had been received by the pharmacy.
Safety and staffing
Staff understood safeguarding procedures and there were enough staff to meet people's needs. Recruitment checks were also completed.
“People were protected from abuse and harm by staff who had received safeguarding training and who understood the procedures for reporting any concerns.” from the report
Skilled staff
Staff received induction, training, supervision and support to carry out their roles.
“People received effective care from skilled and knowledgeable staff.” from the report
Kind and respectful care
Inspectors saw calm, respectful interactions. Staff supported privacy, dignity and independence.
“Positive caring relationships were developed between people and staff.” from the report
Personalised support
Care plans recorded people's likes, dislikes, routines and important information. Staff used this knowledge in practice.
“People received personalised care that reflected their likes, dislikes and preferences.” from the report
Open management
The manager was accessible and the home used audits, feedback and meetings to look for improvements.
“The registered manager ensured the service was managed in a way that was transparent, honest and person focused.” from the report
Epilepsy risk information
needs fixingOne epilepsy risk assessment did not explain the first aid steps to take or when to call an ambulance. Inspectors recommended that it be reviewed and expanded.
“One risk assessment for a person who had epileptic seizures required more detail.” from the report
Diabetes care plans
needs fixingDiabetes plans did not contain enough information about responding to high blood sugar or about health checks for vision, feet and skin.
“Some people had diabetes and we found that, whilst their care plan provided information about responding to hypoglycaemia, there was insufficient information about responding to hyperglycaemia.” from the report
Repositioning records
needs fixingSome records showing when people had been repositioned to reduce pressure were incomplete. Inspectors recommended improvements.
“some charts, showing when people were repositioned to relieve pressure, had not been consistently completed.” from the report
Returned medicines records
minorThe home recorded medicines returned to the pharmacy but did not have receipts confirming that the pharmacy had received them. Inspectors recommended asking for receipts.
“There was a detailed record of unused medicines that were returned to the pharmacy, but there was not a record of receipt of these by pharmacy.” from the report
- 01What changes have you made to the epilepsy risk assessment, including first aid steps and when an ambulance should be called?
- 02How do you record and respond to high blood sugar for people with diabetes?
- 03How do you make sure people with diabetes receive the required checks for vision, foot health and skin?
- 04How do you check that repositioning charts are completed consistently?
- 05Do you now obtain and keep pharmacy receipts for medicines returned?
This was an unannounced comprehensive inspection covering all five key questions, and the report says the previous overall rating was also Good. This explanation was written from the published report of 9 May 2017 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 Rusthall Lodge Care Home
3 rated inspections over 5 years: the service has held its Good rating throughout.
- January 2020Goodcurrent ratingstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- May 2017Goodstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- March 2015GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- October 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- March 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- July 2012
Report published without a new overall rating.
- January 2011
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 20 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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