CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at Saffrons Care Home
Rated Requires improvement: inspectors found the home was not performing as well as it should and told it what to change.
What inspectors found, March 2021
Inspected but not rated; inspectors were assured that infection prevention and control measures were being followed.
This was an unannounced, targeted inspection on 16 February 2021. It followed concerns about infection control during the coronavirus outbreak and looked only at infection prevention and control measures.
Inspectors found staff wearing personal protective equipment appropriately. They were told there was enough PPE, staff had received coronavirus training, and practices had changed as government guidance changed.
The home was clean and tidy. Inspectors were assured that cleaning, testing, social distancing, visitor arrangements and outbreak management were in place. People could move around the home safely and keep in touch with relatives by phone and video calls.
The home was inspected but not rated. This does not give an overall judgement about the quality of all aspects of care.
PPE and staff training
Staff were observed using PPE appropriately and said they had enough supplies. They had received training specifically about Covid-19.
“Staff told us they had always had access to enough PPE and had worn it as per government guidelines.” from the report
Clean environment
The home was clean and tidy. Housekeeping and care staff shared responsibility for cleaning frequently touched areas.
“Both the housekeeping team and care staff were responsible for ensuring high touch areas such as light switches and door handles were cleaned regularly.” from the report
Support for relatives and hospital care
People were supported to keep in touch with family and friends by phone and video calls. Each person had information to help hospital staff understand their needs if admission was needed.
“Each person had a Covid-19 support plan and hospital passport to inform hospital staff of their care and support needs in case of hospital admission.” from the report
Infection control systems
The home had infection control audits and risk assessments that were reviewed and updated. Inspectors were assured that the infection control policy was current.
“There were a range of infection prevention control (IPC) audits and risk assessments. These were regularly reviewed and updated and were available for staff.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01How are staff currently checked to make sure they use PPE correctly and have access to enough supplies?
- 02How often are infection control audits and risk assessments reviewed, and can you explain what happens when an issue is found?
- 03What testing arrangements are currently in place for people living in the home and for staff?
- 04How do you manage visitors and family contact while reducing infection risks?
- 05How are each person's Covid-19 support plan and hospital passport kept up to date?
This was an unannounced, targeted inspection of infection prevention and control measures only; it did not assess the other four key questions or give an overall rating. This explanation was written from the published report of 5 March 2021 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, February 2019
Rated Good overall, but the home Requires Improvement in how it is led and keeps some records.
Inspectors visited on 8 and 10 January 2019. The first day was unannounced. They spoke with people, visitors, staff and a healthcare professional. They observed care and meals, and checked care plans, medicines, staff files, complaints, accidents, audits and the building.
The home was rated Good for Safe, Effective, Caring and Responsive. People were treated kindly, supported to make choices and given personalised care. Inspectors found enough staff, safe medicines practice, suitable training and access to healthcare.
The Well-led rating was Requires Improvement. Some records about as-required medicines and mental capacity decisions were incomplete. The provider had started work to improve these areas, but the systems were not yet consistently reliable.
Kind and respectful staff
People and visitors described staff as kind, caring and respectful. Inspectors saw a warm and friendly atmosphere, with staff who knew people's preferences and histories.
“People were supported by staff who knew them well and treated them with kindness, respect and understanding.” from the report
Personalised support
Care plans covered people's individual needs, choices and interests. Staff adapted support as people's needs changed.
“People received care and support that was personalised to meet their individual needs and preferences.” from the report
Safe staffing and medicines
Inspectors found enough staff during the inspection and saw call bells answered promptly. Medicines were usually managed safely by staff whose competence had been checked.
“People received their medicines as prescribed and safely.” from the report
Incomplete as-required medicine records
needs fixingSome protocols did not contain all the information staff might need, and the effect of the medicine was not recorded. Inspectors said this had not affected people during the inspection, but the records needed improvement.
“We also found the effect of the PRN medicine given had not been recorded.” from the report
Mental capacity records
needs fixingThere were no decision-specific mental capacity assessments for one person who lacked capacity. Where a relative had signed consent forms, the records did not show whether they had legal authority to do so.
“There were no decision specific mental capacity assessments in place for one person who lacked capacity.” from the report
End-of-life documents not complete
minorThe home had introduced a document for recording people's end-of-life wishes, but these documents had not yet been fully completed.
“These had not yet been fully completed.” from the report
- 01Have all as-required medicine protocols been updated, including guidance on when to give them and how their effect is recorded?
- 02How do you now complete decision-specific mental capacity assessments?
- 03How do you check that relatives signing consent forms have the legal authority to do so?
- 04Have people's end-of-life wishes now been fully recorded where they want to discuss them?
- 05What changes have been made to staffing at night since the inspection?
This was a first inspection under the provider and covered all five CQC questions, including the care provided and the premises. This explanation was written from the published report of 16 February 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 Saffrons Care Home
Each visit the CQC has published, newest first, back to the day the home was registered.
- March 2021Inspected but not ratedcurrent ratingSafe: Inspected but not rated
- February 2019GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Requires improvement
- January 2018
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 19 January 2018.
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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19 live-in carers within about an hour of East Sussex
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 £1,000 to £1,400 a week. 13 can care for a couple. 10 years' experience on average.
“When he point blank refused to go into hospital for a life saving blood transfusion she talked him through the situation and agreed to go in the ambulance with him and stayed until he was settled.”
“Una felt safe, secure and loved in her time with Debbie which is a gift that I am eternally grateful for.”
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.