CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at Rusthall Respite
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
- Safe?
- Good
- People and relatives said they felt safe. Inspectors found that risks, safeguarding, medicines, staffing and infection control were managed appropriately.
- Effective?
- Good
- People's needs and choices were assessed before and during stays. Staff had relevant training and supported people's health, diet, communication and daily living.
- Caring?
- Good
- People had positive relationships with staff and were treated with kindness, dignity and respect. Staff supported people to communicate their wishes and make decisions.
- Responsive?
- Good
- Care was personalised to people's needs, communication and interests. People were supported to take part in activities, go into the community and raise concerns.
- Well-led?
- Good
- Inspectors found open and supportive management, regular auditing and good involvement of people and families. The home worked with health professionals and used feedback to make improvements.
What inspectors found, July 2022
Rusthall Respite was rated Good overall; inspectors found safe, kind and personalised short-break care, with some staffing difficulties affecting availability.
This was a planned inspection on 17 May and 8 June 2022. One inspector and an Expert by Experience spoke with four people, nine relatives and seven staff. They also reviewed care, medicines, recruitment and management records.
The home provides short breaks for up to five people at a time, including people with learning disabilities, physical disabilities, autism and sensory impairments. Inspectors found people were safe, treated with kindness, involved in decisions and supported to enjoy activities and community outings.
All five areas were rated Good: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. This means inspectors found consistently good care and management at the time of the inspection. The home was also meeting the principles of Right support, right care, right culture.
Choice and meaningful activities
People were encouraged to make choices, learn skills and take part in activities they enjoyed, including outings and preparing food.
“People enjoyed their short breaks at Rusthall Respite because they were encouraged to learn new skills and do things that were meaningful and excited them.” from the report
Kind and respectful care
Staff knew people well and supported them in a calm, respectful way. Privacy, dignity and independence were part of everyday care.
“Staff skillfully supported people; upholding privacy and dignity as a matter of routine.” from the report
Individual communication
The home used communication passports, pictures, objects, timetables and Makaton to help people express their needs and understand what would happen.
“This enabled people who were unable to communicate verbally to express their needs to staff and be understood.” from the report
Good understanding of risks
Risks such as epilepsy, choking, allergies and road safety were assessed and reviewed. Staff knew how to support people safely.
“Care records included a clear assessment of the risks associated with people's needs and detailed guidelines about how to manage identified risks, such as those associated with epilepsy, choking or allergic reactions.” from the report
Listening and improving
People and families could give feedback, and the home had acted on suggestions, including improving the garden and adding sensory equipment.
“We saw that improvements to the garden and sensory equipment available had been made in direct response to people's feedback about what they wanted from a short breaks service.” from the report
Staff recruitment and respite availability
minorRecruiting staff had been difficult. The home had reduced the times and maximum number of people receiving respite so that it could maintain suitable staffing levels.
“She explained how recruiting staff had been difficult, so the times and maximum number of people receiving a service had been reduced over recent months to reflect the staff numbers available.” from the report
- 01How have staffing levels and the reduced respite availability changed since the inspection?
- 02How will you support my relative's specific communication method, including any non-verbal signs of pain or distress?
- 03How will you manage my relative's health risks, such as epilepsy, choking, allergies or mobility needs?
- 04What activities and community outings could my relative choose during a short stay?
- 05How will you involve us in reviewing information before each stay and in raising any concerns?
This was a planned inspection following re-registration and covered all five CQC questions, as well as infection prevention and control; it was the first rating under the new provider. This explanation was written from the published report of 21 July 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.
Every inspection of Rusthall Respite
3 rated inspections over 6 years: the service has held its Good rating throughout.
- July 2022Goodcurrent ratingstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- August 2019Goodstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- January 2017GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- March 2020
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 31 March 2020.
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.