CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at Spring Cottage
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
- Safe?
- Good
- Inspectors were assured that the home was managing infection prevention and control safely. They found appropriate arrangements for visitors, PPE, testing, admissions, hygiene and outbreak management.
- Effective?
- Good
- Does the care work? Training, consent, food and drink, working with GPs and nurses.
- Caring?
- Good
- Are people treated with kindness and dignity?
- Responsive?
- Good
- Is care built around the person? Care plans, activities, complaints.
- Well-led?
- Good
- Is the home run well? The manager, the culture, how problems get found and fixed.
What inspectors found, April 2021
Inspected but not rated; inspectors found good infection control arrangements during the COVID-19 pandemic.
This was an announced, targeted inspection on 1 April 2021. Inspectors looked at infection prevention and control measures in response to the coronavirus pandemic.
They found the home had arrangements to reduce the spread of infection. These included a clear visiting policy, testing for visitors, safe use of PPE, staff training and a separate lodge for visits.
The home was inspected but not rated. This was not a full assessment of all five areas of care, so it does not provide a current overall quality rating.
Visiting arrangements
The home had a clear visiting policy and used a separate lodge for visits. This helped reduce infection risks while allowing visits to take place.
“The provider had a clear visiting policy and procedures in place in relation to relatives and friends, staff and visiting professionals.” from the report
PPE and infection training
Staff received regular training about the pandemic and how to use PPE. The home also worked with local infection prevention and control nurses.
“Staff had received regular training about the pandemic and use of PPE.” from the report
Testing and visitor safety
Visitors were required to complete COVID-19 lateral flow tests. The home provided an area for putting on and removing PPE.
“Staff ensured Covid 19 lateral flow tests had been completed for all relatives when they visited.” from the report
Staff wellbeing
The provider offered staff access to mental health support and kept staff who were shielding or isolating updated.
“The provider had supported staff wellbeing. Staff had access to mental health support.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01Are visits still held in the separate lodge, and what arrangements are now used for visiting relatives and professionals?
- 02How are visitors and staff tested for COVID-19 or other infections now?
- 03What current training do staff receive on PPE and infection prevention?
- 04What is the home's current procedure if there is an infection outbreak?
- 05How does the home support staff who are unwell, shielding or under mental health pressure?
This was a targeted inspection of infection prevention and control under Safe only; the service was inspected but not rated and the other areas were not assessed. This explanation was written from the published report of 21 April 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, July 2019
Spring Cottage is rated Good; inspectors found safe, kind and personalised care, with only minor issues about rota planning and dementia signage.
This was an unannounced inspection carried out from 12 to 13 June 2019. One inspector and an Expert by Experience spoke with five people, four relatives and three staff. They reviewed care records, medicines records, recruitment checks, complaints and quality monitoring.
The home was rated Good in all five areas: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. Inspectors found that people were protected from abuse, medicines were managed safely, staff were trained, and people's health and dietary needs were supported.
People were treated with kindness and respect. Their care plans were detailed and regularly reviewed. They were supported to make choices, keep their independence, take part in activities and raise complaints.
The overall rating was unchanged from the previous inspection. Safe had improved from Requires Improvement because staffing levels had improved and an activities coordinator had been recruited.
Safe medicines management
Inspectors found that medicines were managed safely, with complete records and correct stocks when checked.
“Medicines continued to be managed safely. The service had a medicines management policy based on best practice guidance.” from the report
Kind and respectful care
People described staff as caring and supportive. Inspectors saw warm and compassionate interactions.
“We observed positive interactions which demonstrated warmth, humour and compassion.” from the report
Personalised activities
People were supported to take part in activities that matched their interests, including going out and attending choir practice.
“People were engaged in activities which reflected their choices.” from the report
Good oversight
The management team used regular audits and governance checks to monitor care and record keeping.
“The quality of the service was maintained by the management who used regular auditing and governance tools to assess and monitor the delivery of care and support and associated record keeping.” from the report
Rota planning
minorStaff said rotas were not always planned far enough in advance, which could make it harder to manage work and home commitments. The manager agreed to look into this.
“However, they told us that rotas were not always planned that far in advance which could make it difficult at times to manage a work/life balance.” from the report
Dementia signage not fully installed
minorDementia-friendly signs had arrived but were still being installed when inspectors visited.
“The service had just received dementia friendly signage and was in the process of installing it.” from the report
- 01Are rotas now planned further in advance, and how do you make sure staffing levels remain safe?
- 02Has all the dementia-friendly signage now been installed?
- 03How would you support my relative if they needed a modified diet or help with swallowing?
- 04How often would my relative's care plan be reviewed, and how would family members be involved?
- 05What activities are available now, and how are they matched to each person's interests?
This inspection covered all five CQC questions and looked at both the premises and the care provided; the previous overall rating was Good, while Safe had previously been Requires Improvement because of staffing levels. This explanation was written from the published report of 24 July 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 Spring Cottage
2 rated inspections over 3 years: the service has held its Good rating throughout.
- April 2021Inspected but not ratedcurrent ratingSafe: Inspected but not rated
- July 2019Goodstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- December 2016GoodSafe: Requires improvementEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- May 2014
Report published without a new overall rating.
- January 2014
Report published without a new overall rating.
- February 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- October 2012
Report published without a new overall rating.
- February 2011
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 15 February 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.
Weigh the report against the rest
Fees, photos and reviews from families
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What to check when you visit
85 live-in carers within about an hour of Lancashire
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. 78 can care for a couple. 11 years' experience on average.
“She understands the needs of an elderly person in the early stages of dementia and has treated my mother with great kindness and skill.”
“Thanks to Tracy, Dad was always immaculately dressed and clean, his meals were all home cooked and nutritionally well balanced and his home was always kept really clean and tidy.”
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.