CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at St Denys Care Home
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
- Safe?
- Good
- Inspectors were assured about cleaning, PPE, testing, visiting arrangements, social distancing and the prevention and management of infection outbreaks. The provider also said it had measures to manage COVID-19-related staffing pressures.
- Effective?
- Good
- This question was not assessed in this targeted inspection.
- Caring?
- Good
- This question was not assessed in this targeted inspection.
- Responsive?
- Good
- This question was not assessed in this targeted inspection.
- Well-led?
- Good
- This question was not assessed in this targeted inspection.
What inspectors found, February 2022
Inspected but not rated; inspectors found good infection control and visiting arrangements during a targeted COVID-19 inspection.
This was an announced, targeted inspection on 9 February 2022. Inspectors looked at infection prevention and control, visiting arrangements, and whether COVID-19 staffing pressures affected care.
Inspectors found well-documented cleaning routines, suitable use of personal protective equipment, testing arrangements, and an up-to-date infection control policy. People could receive visits from friends and family, with testing and protective equipment required.
The home was inspected but not rated. This means the inspection did not result in a Good, Outstanding, Requires Improvement or Inadequate rating. It focused on infection control rather than the full range of care provided.
Cleaning
Cleaning was organised and recorded, with all parts of the home cleaned throughout the day.
“The provider had established cleaning routines which were well documented and ensured all parts of the service were cleaned throughout the day.” from the report
PPE and infection control
Staff had clear infection control guidance and used PPE appropriately. PPE stations were available around the home.
“Staff had clear infection control policies to follow and wore personal protective equipment (PPE) appropriately.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01What measures are currently in place if COVID-19 causes staff shortages, and has this affected people's care?
- 02What are the current rules for family visits, including testing and PPE?
- 03How are staff and people living in the home tested for COVID-19 now?
- 04How would the home respond if there was an infection outbreak?
- 05Are all staff and visiting professionals meeting the current COVID-19 vaccination requirements, unless exempt?
This was a targeted inspection of infection prevention and control, visiting arrangements and COVID-19-related staffing pressures; the service was inspected but not rated overall. This explanation was written from the published report of 22 February 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, February 2019
St Denys Care Home was rated Good; inspectors found safe, kind and well-managed care, with some care plans still being updated.
Inspectors visited on 24 January and 4 February 2019. The first visit was unannounced. They spoke with seven people, staff and health professionals, and checked care files, medicines, recruitment records and quality records.
All five areas were rated Good: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. People told inspectors they felt safe and cared for. Staff knew people well, supported independence and worked with health professionals when needed.
The home had improved since its November 2017 inspection, when it was rated Requires Improvement and breached requirements about recruitment and governance. A focused inspection in October 2018 found these issues had been addressed, and this inspection found the Good rating continued.
Safe medicines practice
Medicines were stored, recorded and given safely. Staff training and regular checks helped ensure medicines were managed properly.
“There were robust systems in place for safe storage, recording and administering of all medicines.” from the report
Kind and respectful care
People described staff as kind. Inspectors saw that staff protected privacy and dignity while encouraging people to do as much as possible for themselves.
“People were supported in a way which ensured their dignity and privacy was upheld.” from the report
Staff knew people well
Staff understood people's histories, routines, preferences and support needs. This helped them provide personalised care.
“Staff knew people well, they understood the things and people who were important to everyone.” from the report
Care plans still being updated
minorElectronic care plans were clearer and more person-centred, but they were still being shared and reviewed with people at the time of inspection.
“The plans were in the process of being shared and reviewed with people.” from the report
No set daily activities programme
minorThere was no fixed programme of activities during the day. Staff did offer conversation, suggestions and some activities, but families should ask how their relative's interests will be supported.
“There was no set programme of activities during the day, but staff did spend time talking with people and made suggestions for activities which were sometimes taken up.” from the report
- 01How will you make sure my relative's care plan is shared with them and reviewed with them regularly?
- 02What activities are available each day for someone with my relative's interests and abilities?
- 03How do you check that medicines are stored at the right temperature and given safely?
- 04How will you support my relative to attend healthcare appointments and use the local community?
- 05How do you involve residents and families when reviewing care and making changes?
This inspection looked at the overall quality of the service and rated all five areas; the October 2018 focused inspection had checked that earlier recruitment and governance requirements were met. This explanation was written from the published report of 22 February 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 St Denys Care Home
6 rated inspections over 4 years: the service has improved, from Requires improvement to Good.
- February 2022Inspected but not ratedcurrent ratingSafe: Inspected but not rated
- February 2019Goodstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- November 2018Goodup from Requires improvementSafe: GoodWell-led: Good
- February 2018Requires improvementstayed Requires improvementSafe: Requires improvementEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Requires improvement
- May 2017Requires improvementdown from GoodSafe: Requires improvementEffective: Requires improvementCaring: GoodResponsive: Requires improvementWell-led: Inadequate
- February 2016Goodup from Requires improvementSafe: Requires improvementEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- July 2015Requires improvementSafe: Requires improvementEffective: Requires improvementCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Requires improvement
- August 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- January 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- November 2011
Report published without a new overall rating.
- January 2011
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 25 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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17 live-in carers within about an hour of Devon
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 £1,270 a week. 15 can care for a couple. 13 years' experience on average.
“She is such a warm and gentle person while being professional and competent at the same time.”
“She looked after my mum, who can be incredibly challenging, so well and so gently, and we always felt confident that my mum was getting the best care available.”
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.