CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at Silver Howe
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
Silver Howe was inspected but not rated; inspectors found strong infection prevention and control arrangements.
This was an announced, targeted inspection on 9 February 2021. It focused on how the home was prepared to prevent and control COVID-19 infections.
Inspectors found robust checks for visitors, including temperature checks and risk assessments. People who needed to isolate had designated rooms, a personal lounge or social area, and dedicated staff support.
The home was clean and hygienic. Staff had infection control training, regular testing was in place, and the home had up-to-date infection prevention and control policies.
The home was inspected but not rated overall. The Safe question was also inspected but not rated, so this report does not give a formal quality rating.
Visitor infection checks
Visitors had checks before entering, and visits with relatives were arranged in a suitable safe space.
“Prior to anyone entering the building a range of checks were completed including taking temperatures and completing a risk assessment.” from the report
Isolation support
People who needed to isolate had designated rooms, access to a personal lounge or social area, and dedicated staff support.
“People who required isolating were supported in designated rooms and could access a personal lounge/social area.” from the report
Clean environment
Inspectors found the home clean and hygienic, with a designated cleaning team and regular cleanliness audits.
“The home was clean and hygienic. There was a designated cleaning staff team and audits on cleanliness and infection prevention and control were completed.” from the report
Up-to-date infection procedures
The home kept its infection control policies up to date and staff received training, including updates relating to COVID-19.
“The registered manager had kept up to date with national guidance on working safely in care homes and had regularly shared best practice with the staff.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01How are visitors currently checked before entering the home?
- 02How would you support my relative if they needed to isolate?
- 03How often are staff and residents currently tested?
- 04How do you keep infection prevention and control training and policies up to date?
- 05How can residents keep in touch with family if visits are restricted?
This was a targeted inspection of infection prevention and control during the coronavirus pandemic; it did not rate the service overall or assess the other four questions. This explanation was written from the published report of 6 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, March 2019
Rated Good; inspectors found safe, kind and personalised care, with improvements since the previous inspection.
This was an unannounced inspection by three inspectors on 19 February 2019. They spoke with people living at the home, relatives, staff and the registered manager. They reviewed care records, staff files, medicines records, audits and other management records.
The home was rated Good in all five areas: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. Inspectors found enough suitably trained staff, safe medicines management, suitable care planning and good support with food, health needs and activities.
People were treated with kindness, dignity and respect. Their choices and independence were supported. The home had improved from Requires Improvement at the previous inspection, published on 19 March 2018.
Enough staff
Staffing levels were based on people's assessed needs. Inspectors saw staff around the home and found call bells were answered promptly.
“People and visitors to the home told us they thought there were sufficient staff.” from the report
Safe medicines
Medicines were stored, given and recorded safely. Staff giving medicines had suitable training, and checks were carried out.
“We observed people received their medicines safely and as prescribed.” from the report
Kind and respectful care
Staff knew people well and supported their dignity, privacy and independence. People and relatives described staff as kind and caring.
“We saw staff speaking to people pleasantly and respectfully with lots of appropriate hugs.” from the report
Personalised food and activities
The home catered for food preferences and dietary needs. It also had an activities coordinator and a varied programme based on people's choices.
“We saw the dinning experience was pleasant, sociable and very personalised.” from the report
Improved leadership
The home had improved since the previous inspection. Its audits, feedback systems and reviews of incidents helped monitor quality and identify improvements.
“This was a planned inspection based on the rating at the last inspection. The service has improved to Good.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01How do you assess people's dependency needs and decide how many staff are needed on each shift?
- 02How are medicines checked, including storage, administration records and stock levels?
- 03How will you involve my relative and our family in care reviews and best-interest decisions if needed?
- 04What activities are available for someone with my relative's interests, and how can they take part in the local community?
- 05How do you use feedback, complaints and incident reviews to make further improvements?
This was an unannounced inspection covering all five CQC questions, including the premises and care provided; the ratings from the previous inspection were reassessed. This explanation was written from the published report of 15 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.
Every inspection of Silver Howe
6 rated inspections over 4 years: the service has improved, from Inadequate to Good.
- March 2021Inspected but not ratedcurrent ratingSafe: Inspected but not rated
- March 2019Goodup from Requires improvementSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- March 2018Requires improvementstayed Requires improvementSafe: Requires improvementEffective: Requires improvementCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- February 2017Requires improvementup from InadequateSafe: Requires improvementEffective: Requires improvementCaring: GoodResponsive: Requires improvementWell-led: Requires improvement
- August 2016Inadequatedown from GoodSafe: InadequateEffective: InadequateCaring: InadequateResponsive: InadequateWell-led: Inadequate
- November 2015Goodup from InadequateSafe: Requires improvementEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- July 2015InadequateSafe: InadequateEffective: InadequateCaring: GoodResponsive: Requires improvementWell-led: Inadequate
- November 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- August 2012
Report published without a new overall rating.
- April 2012
Report published without a new overall rating.
- January 2011
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 10 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.
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9 live-in carers within about an hour of Westmorland and Furness
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.
8 can care for a couple. 10 years' experience on average.
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.