CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at St Andrews
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
What inspectors found, April 2022
Inspected but not rated; inspectors were assured about infection control, visiting arrangements and staffing measures.
This was a targeted, announced inspection on 15 February 2022. CQC gave the home 24 hours' notice. The inspection focused on infection prevention and control, visiting arrangements and pressures linked to COVID-19 staffing.
Inspectors found that visitors followed safety checks, including hand sanitising, signing in, temperature checks and testing. Shared areas supported social distancing. Visiting risk assessments were reviewed when government guidance changed.
The provider had measures to manage COVID-19 staffing pressures. Staff were supported to work flexibly, and smaller team meetings were used to improve information sharing. The home was inspected but not rated, so this report does not provide a full rating of the home's overall quality.
Infection control
The home had arrangements for visitors, PPE, testing, social distancing and preventing or managing infection outbreaks.
“We were assured that the provider was making sure infection outbreaks can be effectively prevented or managed.” from the report
Visitor safety
Visitors followed a clear safety process, including hand sanitising, signing in, temperature checks and showing evidence of testing and vaccination.
“All visitors were required to follow the providers clear visitors protocol in place at the time of inspection and to wear suitable personal protective equipment, PPE provided at the service.” from the report
Staffing flexibility
The provider supported staff to change shift times when needed. Inspectors said this helped maintain safe staffing levels.
“This meant the provider maximised staff availability which supported them to maintain safe staffing levels.” from the report
Staff communication
Smaller team meetings were introduced across different shifts to improve information sharing and staff participation.
“They told us how this had resulted in an increased participation from staff and had a positive impact on the service.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01What infection prevention and control arrangements are in place now, and how have they changed since the inspection?
- 02What visitor checks and PPE requirements currently apply to relatives?
- 03How do you monitor staffing levels when staff are absent or there are staffing pressures?
- 04How do team meetings across different shifts make sure important information is shared?
- 05How are visits adapted when guidance or a person's needs change?
This was a targeted inspection of infection prevention and control, visiting arrangements and COVID-19 staffing pressures; it did not provide ratings for the other four questions or a full overall quality rating. This explanation was written from the published report of 9 April 2022 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, September 2017
St Andrews was rated Good in every area; inspectors found safe, respectful and personalised care, with a delay in renewing one DoLS authorisation.
The inspection was unannounced and took place on 10 August 2017. One inspector spoke with two people living at the home, the manager and three staff. They reviewed two people's care records and records about medicines, staffing, incidents, complaints, safeguarding, training and quality checks.
The home was rated Good overall and Good in all five areas: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. Inspectors found enough staff, safe medicines arrangements and suitable risk assessments. Staff knew people's needs well and supported their choices, health, independence, activities and relationships.
The report says the home followed the Mental Capacity Act and had DoLS authorisations for three people. However, one authorisation had been waiting for renewal by the local authority since February 2017. The manager was in regular contact about this.
Enough staff
Staff were available around the clock and there were at least three staff during the day and two at night. Shifts allowed time for information to be handed over.
“There were sufficient staff to meet people's needs.” from the report
Safe medicines
Medicines were given as prescribed. Records were completed, medicines were stored securely and staff understood people's individual medicines needs.
“People's medicines were managed safely and given to people as prescribed.” from the report
Respectful support
Staff knew people well, respected their privacy and supported them to make choices. People were encouraged to become more independent.
“Staff treated people with dignity and respect.” from the report
Personalised activities
People had individual activity plans and were supported with interests such as swimming, horse riding, shopping, gardening and eating out. They also developed household and life skills.
“Each person had a weekly activity plan, which included regular planned activities such as swimming and horse riding” from the report
Quality checks
The management team used audits and checks to monitor medicines, finances, fire equipment, vehicles and temperature controls. Incidents were reviewed to reduce the chance of them happening again.
“Systems were in place to check on the quality and safety within the service.” from the report
One DoLS renewal was delayed
needs fixingOne of the three DoLS authorisations had been waiting for renewal by the local authority since February 2017. The manager had been in regular contact about it, but the report records that it was still outstanding.
“Two had been renewed and the third had been waiting to be renewed by the local authority since February 2017.” from the report
- 01What was the outcome of the DoLS renewal that had been outstanding since February 2017?
- 02How many staff are normally on duty during the day and at night now?
- 03How are people's choices and independence supported in everyday activities, including meals and household tasks?
- 04How are care plans and daily records kept up to date when people's health or needs change?
- 05How are complaints, accidents and incidents reviewed, and what changes have been made as a result?
This was an unannounced inspection of all five areas; inspectors spoke with two people and reviewed two people's care records, along with other service records. This explanation was written from the published report of 8 September 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 St Andrews
Each visit the CQC has published, newest first, back to the day the home was registered.
- April 2022Inspected but not ratedcurrent ratingSafe: Inspected but not rated
- September 2017GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- October 2016
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 10 October 2016.
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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26 live-in carers within about an hour of Hampshire
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 £1,020 to £1,260 a week. 23 can care for a couple. 14 years' experience on average.
“I cannot recommend Prisca highly enough, she is one in a million.”
“He stayed with her throughout the pandemic, refusing to visit his own family, who lived nearby, to reduce the risk of infection.”
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.