CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at Sandycroft
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
- Safe?
- Good
- People’s risks were assessed and reviewed, staffing was safely managed and medicines were administered by trained staff. Inspectors noted that visitor COVID-19 screening was not always in place and improvements were made to topical medicine records after the inspection.
- Effective?
- Good
- People received care based on their assessed needs and choices, with support for nutrition, healthcare and independence. Staff had regular supervision and training, although the Care Certificate and positive behaviour support training needed some attention.
- Caring?
- Good
- Staff treated people with compassion, dignity and respect. People were supported to make choices, remain independent and be involved in decisions about their care.
- Responsive?
- Good
- Care plans were personalised and included people’s communication needs, strengths, goals and preferences. People were supported with activities, relationships and contact with relatives, including during COVID-19 restrictions.
- Well-led?
- Good
- The home had effective audits, governance checks and action plans to monitor and improve care. There was no registered manager at the time, but an interim manager was in place and completing the registration process.
What inspectors found, June 2021
Sandycroft is rated Good; inspectors found person-centred, safe care, with minor improvements needed in visitor screening, medicine records and training.
This was the home’s first inspection since it registered with the CQC in March 2020. One inspector visited on 20 May 2021, spoke with managers, staff, relatives and a healthcare professional, and reviewed care records, medicine records, recruitment files and management checks.
The home was rated Good in all five areas: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. Inspectors found that people’s risks were assessed, medicines were generally managed safely, staff knew people well and care was tailored to their choices, communication needs and goals.
The home supported people to make choices, stay independent and take part in activities. It was clean and well maintained, and relatives said people were safe and received good care. Inspectors identified some improvements, including visitor COVID-19 screening, topical medicine records and parts of the staff training programme.
Personalised support
Care plans contained tailored information about people’s needs, preferences, communication and goals. Staff knew the people they supported well.
“Care records contained bespoke 'My Care and Support plans' which contained essential information in relation to people's health and well-being” from the report
Choice and independence
People were supported to make everyday choices and develop their independence. The home followed the principles of right support, right care and right culture.
“The model of care and setting helped to maximise people's choice, control and Independence.” from the report
Safe care
Risks were assessed and reviewed, staffing levels were monitored and safeguarding procedures were understood by staff.
“People's support needs and areas of risk were appropriately assessed, monitored and measures were safely implemented to keep people safe.” from the report
Activities and relationships
People were supported to take part in activities they chose, maintain relationships and have social contact during COVID-19 restrictions.
“Although restrictions limited some of the activities people could engage in, people continued to receive as much social stimulation as possible.” from the report
Visitor screening
needs fixingNot all visitors were asked COVID-19 screening questions before entering the home. Inspectors raised this as an area for improvement.
“COVID-19 (visitor) screening procedures were not always in place.” from the report
Topical medicine records
needs fixingInspectors identified improvements needed in records for cream medicines and stock balances. The home implemented improved procedures after the inspection.
“Following the inspection, improved topical medication administration and stock balance procedures were implemented.” from the report
Staff training
minorThe training programme was broadly positive, but the Care Certificate and positive behaviour support training needed further attention.
“training statistics were promising although The Care Certificate and positive behaviour support (PBS) training required some attention.” from the report
Registered manager
minorThere was no CQC-registered manager when inspectors visited. An interim manager had been recruited and the registration paperwork was being completed.
“The service did not have a manager registered with CQC.” from the report
- 01Have all visitors been asked the required COVID-19 screening questions before entering the home?
- 02How are cream medicines recorded now, and how are medicine stock balances checked?
- 03Have all staff completed the Care Certificate and positive behaviour support training?
- 04Has the interim manager now completed CQC registration?
- 05How will the home support my relative’s communication needs, choices, independence and preferred activities?
This was a planned first inspection covering all five key questions, including infection prevention and control arrangements, after the home registered with the CQC in March 2020. This explanation was written from the published report of 19 June 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.
Every inspection of Sandycroft
Each visit the CQC has published, newest first, back to the day the home was registered.
- June 2021Goodcurrent ratingSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- March 2020
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 19 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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At least 100 live-in carers within about an hour of Warrington
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. 90 can care for a couple. 10 years' experience on average.
“He developed a close affinity with Terence, spending time talking with him before he retired to bed and looking after his needs during the night.”
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.