CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at Smock Acre
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
- Safe?
- Good
- Inspectors found that risks, safeguarding, staffing, medicines, infection control and accidents were managed safely. Staff were recruited with appropriate checks and there were enough staff to meet people's needs.
- Effective?
- Good
- People's needs and choices were assessed, and staff had training and experience suited to the people they supported. Inspectors found good support with food, healthcare, communication and legal safeguards.
- Caring?
- Good
- People were treated with kindness and compassion. They and their relatives were involved in care decisions, and staff respected privacy, dignity and independence.
- Responsive?
- Good
- Care plans reflected people's needs, preferences and goals. People were supported with meaningful activities, accessible communication, complaints and end-of-life wishes.
- Well-led?
- Good
- The home had a registered manager, open management arrangements and quality checks. Notifications were sent to CQC appropriately, and relatives, staff and professionals were asked for their views.
What inspectors found, January 2019
Smock Acre was rated Good; inspectors found safe, kind and personalised care across all five areas.
This was a comprehensive, announced inspection on 08 January 2019. Inspectors visited the home, spoke with a person living there, a relative, the manager and care staff, and observed two people who could not speak with them.
The home was supporting three people with learning disabilities. Inspectors found processes to protect people from abuse, enough suitable staff, safe medicines support, suitable training and good access to healthcare.
People were treated with kindness, involved in decisions and supported to be independent. Care was personalised, activities reflected people's preferences, and the home had systems to monitor quality and respond to concerns.
The overall rating was Good, and each of the five areas was also rated Good. This was unchanged from the previous inspection.
Enough suitable staff
Inspectors found enough staff to meet people's needs. The home used a small group of agency staff who already knew people and their needs.
“There were enough staff to meet the needs of those using the service.” from the report
Kind and respectful care
Staff knew people well and responded calmly to their behaviour and needs. Inspectors saw people being treated with kindness and their privacy being respected.
“We saw people being treated with kindness and compassion in their day-to-day care and support.” from the report
Personalised support
People helped shape their care plans, goals and daily activities. Staff supported individual choices, including activities, food and quiet time.
“People received care and support which was based around their needs, preferences and choices.” from the report
Good communication with relatives
Relatives were involved in reviews and decisions about care. The report also found that the home kept relatives informed about issues.
“They are very good at keeping me up to date with issues. And they tell me when it's happening rather than after it's happened.” from the report
Quality monitoring
The manager and provider carried out audits and kept an improvement plan. They also sought views from relatives, staff and visiting professionals.
“The registered manager, area manager and registered provider carried out a number of quality audits and checks to make sure and effective and safe service was provided.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01How will you make sure there are enough familiar staff if regular staff are away?
- 02How are medicines checked, and how do you learn from any medicine errors?
- 03How will my relative's communication needs be recorded and supported in everyday choices?
- 04How will my relative be involved in care-plan reviews and decisions about activities and support?
- 05How will you involve our family and health professionals if my relative's health changes or they need hospital care?
This was a comprehensive inspection covering the premises and care provided, with all five CQC questions assessed. This explanation was written from the published report of 22 January 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 Smock Acre
2 rated inspections over 3 years: the service has held its Good rating throughout.
- January 2019Goodcurrent ratingstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- June 2016GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- January 2014
Report published without a new overall rating.
- April 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- January 2011
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 24 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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39 live-in carers within about an hour of Kent
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. 33 can care for a couple. 12 years' experience on average.
“Always on time and with a lovely smile for my mum. Theresa is kind and sensitive to my mum's needs.”
“Irene was a very kind and empathetic carer who knew just the right words to say to put a smile on my face.”
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.