CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at Applewood Residential Home
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
What inspectors found, February 2020
Rated Good; inspectors found safe, kind and personalised care, although the home had recently faced some staffing challenges.
Inspectors visited on 14 January 2020. One inspector observed care, spoke with staff and relatives, and reviewed care, medicines, recruitment and management records. Some people could not speak with inspectors because of their communication needs, while others chose not to.
The five people living there were supported by staff who understood their needs, communication and health conditions. Inspectors found enough staff, safe medicines practices, suitable training, good food and drink support, and a clean and adapted building.
People were treated with kindness, dignity and respect. They were supported to make choices, build independence, follow their interests and keep in touch with family and friends. Complaints were handled properly.
All five CQC areas were rated Good: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. This was the same overall rating as the previous inspection, published on 16 January 2017.
Positive risk-taking
The home managed risks while still helping people take part in activities and make their own choices.
“People had robust risk assessments that discussed areas of concern and enabled them to do activities they enjoyed and be as independent as possible.” from the report
Support for independence
People were encouraged to prepare food, make drinks and manage parts of their daily lives. Special equipment supported people with visual impairments.
“People are independent here - it's their home and they do what they want.” from the report
Personalised communication
Staff used visual timetables, easy-read information and other tools to help people understand routines and express their choices.
“Every person had a detailed communications plan and passport which informed staff about people's preferred communication.” from the report
Good health and nutrition support
Staff monitored food and drink intake where needed and worked with health professionals to improve people's wellbeing.
“People's nutrition and hydration needs were consistently met.” from the report
Recent staffing pressure
minorThe manager reported that some staff had left recently. The home used agency staff and staff from another service, while managers also covered shifts. Inspectors found that people's needs were still met during the visit.
“the registered manager told us that there had been some recent staffing challenges, due to staff leaving.” from the report
- 01How many permanent staff currently work in the home, and are there still any vacancies?
- 02How will you make sure one-to-one and two-to-one support is provided for the activities my relative needs or enjoys?
- 03How would you communicate with my relative and help them make choices if they cannot communicate verbally?
- 04What equipment and support would be available to help my relative remain independent?
- 05How are relatives involved in reviewing care plans and responding to any concerns?
This was a planned inspection covering all five CQC areas, and both the care provided and the premises were looked at. This explanation was written from the published report of 5 February 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, January 2017
SeeAbility - Applewood Residential Home is rated Good; inspectors found kind, personalised care, but noted a high number of medicines errors that were being addressed.
This was an unannounced inspection on 7 December 2016. The inspector met all five people living there, spoke with staff and a professional, observed care, and checked care, medicines, recruitment and management records.
The home was rated Good in all five areas: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. Inspectors found enough trained staff, personalised care records, kind support, good communication methods and support for health, activities and independence.
The main concern was medicines management. Audits had found missed medicines, unsigned records, out-of-date medicines being given and an incorrect dose. The home was arranging retraining and had increased checks from monthly to weekly.
Kind and respectful staff
Inspectors saw patient and compassionate support. Staff knew people well and responded when someone became anxious.
“We observed staff providing support to people during our visit. Staff interacted with people in a caring way.” from the report
Personalised care
Care records described people's routines, preferences, communication and behaviour support needs. Staff used this information to provide individual support.
“People's care records were detailed and personalised to meet their individual needs.” from the report
Choice and communication
People were encouraged to make day-to-day choices using pictures, symbols and other communication aids when needed. Their preferences about food, clothing, routines and activities were respected.
“People with limited communication were supported to make choices.” from the report
Active lives
People were supported to take part in individual activities and to use local facilities. This included shopping, haircuts, church visits and other interests.
“People lived full and active lives and were supported to access local areas and activities.” from the report
Medicines errors
seriousAudits had found a high number of medicines errors. These included missed medicines, unsigned medicine records, out-of-date medicines being given and an incorrect dose, although retraining and more frequent audits were being put in place.
“During these monthly audits the registered manager had found a high number of errors.” from the report
- 01What medicines errors were found after the inspection, and what did the staff retraining and weekly audits show?
- 02How will you involve our relative and family in reviewing their care plan, especially if they cannot communicate their views verbally?
- 03What staffing arrangements are in place when our relative needs one-to-one support, including during activities outside the home?
- 04If our relative is subject to liberty restrictions, what authorisation and best-interest arrangements apply to them?
- 05Which activities and community links would be available for our relative, based on their interests and communication needs?
This was an unannounced inspection of the overall quality of the service and covered all five questions; the inspector also reviewed care, medicines, recruitment and management records. This explanation was written from the published report of 17 January 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 Applewood Residential Home
2 rated inspections over 3 years: the service has held its Good rating throughout.
- February 2020Goodcurrent ratingstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- January 2017GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- August 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- September 2012
Report published without a new overall rating.
- December 2010
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 15 December 2010.
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.