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CQC report explained · a residential care home

What the CQC found at Shortwood House

Goodpublished 28 March 2019, 7 years ago

Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.

The five questions inspectors ask
Safe?
Good
People were protected from avoidable harm, with risk assessments, safety checks and emergency evacuation plans in place. Staff were judged to be sufficient in number and medicines were given safely.
Effective?
Good
Staff had suitable training and support. People received choices about food, had access to healthcare and were supported in line with their assessed needs and decisions.
Caring?
Good
People and relatives made very positive comments about staff. Inspectors saw staff treating people with kindness, dignity and respect, while encouraging independence.
Responsive?
Good
Care plans reflected people's needs, preferences and life histories. People could take part in activities and hobbies, use accessible communication methods and raise complaints.
Well-led?
Good
The home had approachable leadership, a person-centred culture and quality monitoring systems. People, relatives and staff were asked for feedback and suggestions.
The latest report, explained

What inspectors found, March 2019

Rated Good; inspectors found safe, kind and personalised care, with improved checks after earlier medicine record inaccuracies.

This was an unannounced inspection on 6 February 2019. One inspector observed care, spoke with four people, a relative, staff and managers, and reviewed two care records and other records.

The home was rated Good in all five areas: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. People said they felt safe, were treated kindly, had choices and enjoyed activities. Inspectors found enough staff, safe medicine practices, good food and effective links with health professionals.

The home was also rated Good at the previous inspection in October 2015. Inspectors found that this rating remained supported and found no evidence of serious risks or concerns.

What inspectors praised
  • People felt safe and supported

    People said they were happy living at the home and felt safe. Staff responded promptly and inspectors found enough staff on duty.

    “People were very happy living at Shortwood House. They felt safe and liked the staff who supported them.” from the report
  • Kind and respectful care

    Staff knew people's likes, dislikes and care preferences. Inspectors saw staff protecting privacy, dignity and independence.

    “We saw throughout our inspection that staff were sensitive and discreet when supporting people, they respected people's choices and acted on their requests and decisions.” from the report
  • Personalised support and activities

    Care plans included people's life histories and preferences. People could take part in activities, hobbies and some daily tasks.

    “People had a plan of care based on their needs and preferences.” from the report
  • Good leadership and feedback

    The care manager and provider were described as approachable. The home used meetings, feedback and quality checks to monitor care and make improvements.

    “There was a quality assurance system in place to monitor all aspects of care and support provided and ensure that staff continued to give high quality care.” from the report
What inspectors were concerned about
  • Earlier medicine record inaccuracies

    minor

    The report says medicine records had previously been inaccurate. Daily checks had been introduced, and inspectors said these made sure records were completed correctly.

    “This system was introduced in response to inaccurate medicine records and made sure all records were completed correctly.” from the report
Questions to ask them, based on this report
  1. 01How do you carry out the daily checks on medicine records, and what happens if a mistake is found?
  2. 02How would you support my relative's particular communication needs, including if they need picture cards, large print or other accessible information?
  3. 03How would you manage my relative's nutrition, appetite or fluid intake if these became concerns?
  4. 04What activities would be available that match my relative's interests and life history?
  5. 05How would my relative and our family be involved in reviewing the care plan and raising concerns?

This was a planned inspection covering all five CQC questions, including the premises and care provided; the previous Good rating from October 2015 was reviewed. This explanation was written from the published report of 28 March 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.

The story over the years

Every inspection of Shortwood House

2 rated inspections over 3 years: the service has held its Good rating throughout.

  1. March 2019Goodcurrent ratingstayed Good
    Safe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good

    Read what inspectors found at Shortwood House →

  2. January 2016Good
    Safe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good

    We are reading this report · the original is on cqc.org.uk

  3. October 2014

    Report published without a new overall rating.

    Read this report on cqc.org.uk

  4. September 2013

    Report published without a new overall rating.

    Read this report on cqc.org.uk

  5. November 2012

    Report published without a new overall rating.

    Read this report on cqc.org.uk

  6. January 2011

    Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 4 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.

Next steps

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Most charge £980 to £1,260 a week. 63 can care for a couple. 10 years' experience on average.

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