CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at St Georges House
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
- Safe?
- Good
- People had tailored risk assessments and there were enough staff to support people safely. Inspectors also found that medicines were administered as prescribed and infection-control arrangements were effective.
- Effective?
- Good
- People's needs were assessed before moving in, staff were trained and supervised, and people were supported with food, healthcare and healthy lifestyles. Inspectors noted that dietary information was not displayed in the kitchen, although action was taken.
- Caring?
- Good
- Inspectors found kind and respectful support that promoted privacy, dignity, independence and choice. People and families were involved in decisions about care.
- Responsive?
- Good
- Care plans were personalised and staff knew people's preferences and communication methods. Inspectors found that the steps for achieving goals were not always recorded, and the manager acted on this during the inspection.
- Well-led?
- Good
- The manager and staff created a positive culture and used audits, feedback and action plans to improve the home. A new electronic care-planning system was being introduced.
What inspectors found, June 2023
St Georges House was rated Good; inspectors found safe, caring and personalised support, with some care-planning records needing more detail.
This was the first inspection of the newly registered home. Inspectors visited on 5 and 8 June 2023, and inspection activity continued until 20 June. They spoke with people, relatives and staff, and reviewed care, medicine, recruitment and management records.
The home was rated Good in all five areas: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. Inspectors found enough staff, suitable risk assessments, safe medicine systems, trained staff and respectful, person-centred care.
There were some record-keeping gaps. Plans did not always explain the steps needed to achieve people's goals, and dietary information was not displayed in the kitchen. The home took action during the inspection to address these points.
Enough, skilled staff
Inspectors found enough staff to meet people's care and social needs. Staff had specialist training, regular supervision and knew the people living at the home well.
“There were enough staff to support people with their care and social needs safely.” from the report
Kind and respectful care
Staff promoted privacy, dignity, independence and choice. People were supported to develop skills and take part in activities they enjoyed.
“Staff were passionate and motivated to provide safe person-centred care.” from the report
Safe medicines support
Medicines were given as prescribed, with detailed plans for regular and as-needed medicines. The home reviewed medicine incidents and carried out medicine audits.
“Medicines care plans and risk assessments were detailed, and person centred.” from the report
Positive management
The home used audits, feedback and action plans to identify shortfalls and improve care. Staff said they felt supported and could ask for more training.
“A quality assurance system was in place which was used to identify and address shortfalls of the service.” from the report
Goals were not always fully recorded
needs fixingCare plans recorded people's goals, but did not always explain the steps needed to achieve them. The manager took action during the inspection.
“However, the steps planned to achieve goals were not consistently documented.” from the report
Dietary information was not in the kitchen
minorPeople's dietary needs were recorded in care plans, but this information was not displayed in the kitchen. The manager said a copy would be placed there to reduce risk.
“People's dietary information was not evident in the kitchen, however there had been no negative impact resulting from this.” from the report
- 01Have the care plans been updated so that every goal includes clear steps and planning?
- 02Where is people's dietary information now displayed, and how do you make sure new staff see it?
- 03How is the new electronic care-planning system being used, and how quickly are updates available to staff?
- 04How often are medicines audited, and how are any errors or lessons shared with staff?
- 05How will you involve my relative and our family in future care reviews and decisions?
This was the first comprehensive inspection of the newly registered home and covered all five CQC key questions, each of which was rated Good. This explanation was written from the published report of 28 June 2023 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 Georges House
Each visit the CQC has published, newest first, back to the day the home was registered.
- June 2023Goodcurrent ratingSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- November 2021
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 18 November 2021.
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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88 live-in carers within about an hour of Bedford
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. 76 can care for a couple. 12 years' experience on average.
“We can all fully relax around Nyarai and she feels like part of our family, which is no mean feat!”
“She handled the new situation in front of her with such professionalism and I felt I could trust her 100%.”
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.