CQC report explained · a nursing home
What the CQC found at St Mary's Convent and Nursing Home
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
What inspectors found, September 2020
St Mary's Convent and Nursing Home was inspected but not rated; inspectors found good infection control arrangements during the pandemic.
This was an announced, targeted inspection on 19 August 2020. It focused only on infection prevention and control measures during the coronavirus pandemic.
Inspectors were assured that the home was managing visitors, social distancing, admissions, testing and infection outbreaks safely. They also found up-to-date infection control guidance and increased cleaning arrangements.
The home had plans for isolation after hospital visits, supplies of protective equipment and a contingency plan. Staff were given regular briefings and support with their wellbeing.
The service was inspected but not rated. This means the inspection did not give a Good, Requires improvement or Inadequate rating, and it does not provide a full assessment of all areas of care.
Safe visiting arrangements
Visitors arranged times in advance and were told about the visiting procedures. The home also sent updates to families and friends.
“Visitors agreed a visiting time in advance and visiting procedures were explained to them on the phone.” from the report
Social distancing and activities
Communal spaces were arranged to support social distancing. Staff provided garden activities and one-to-one sessions during lockdown.
“During lockdown the activity team had been instrumental in supporting people to do activities in the garden which promoted social distancing” from the report
Infection control planning
The home had current coronavirus guidance, extra cleaning arrangements and procedures for people who had the virus.
“The provider had up to date guidelines around various areas of coronavirus including increased cleaning schedules and audits” from the report
Isolation after hospital visits
People returning from hospital were supported to self-isolate for 14 days. Equipment was prepared so procedures could start quickly when needed.
“People returning from hospital visits were supported by staff to self- isolate for a 14- day period.” from the report
Plans and protective equipment
The home had a contingency plan, was increasing its stock of protective equipment and stayed in contact with the local authority.
“The provider had a contingency plan in place, was increasing their stock of PPE and kept in regular contact with the local authority.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01How have your infection control and visiting procedures changed since the August 2020 inspection?
- 02What happens now when someone returns from hospital, and how is any required isolation managed?
- 03How often are staff and residents tested, and what happens if someone tests positive?
- 04How much protective equipment do you currently hold, and how do you make sure supplies are maintained?
- 05How are activities and family visits arranged when infection risks or restrictions change?
This was a targeted inspection of infection prevention and control during the coronavirus pandemic; the service was inspected but not rated and other care areas were not assessed. This explanation was written from the published report of 10 September 2020 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, January 2020
St Mary's Convent and Nursing Home: Rated Good; inspectors found safe, kind care and exceptionally responsive support, with some risk records not always easy to locate.
Inspectors visited unannounced on 12 and 13 November 2019. They spoke with people living in the home, relatives, staff and health and social care professionals. They also checked care records, medicines records, staff files and management records.
The home was rated Good overall. Safe, Effective, Caring and Well-led were rated Good. Responsive was rated Outstanding. Inspectors found enough staff, safe medicines management, suitable training, good healthcare support and kind staff who knew people well.
The strongest area was personalised support. People were offered meaningful activities, choice and control, and help to maintain family and community links. Inspectors noted that some risk assessments took time to find on the electronic system, and the provider planned to standardise how information was recorded.
The overall rating stayed Good compared with the previous inspection. Responsive improved from Good to Outstanding, while Caring changed from Outstanding to Good.
Personalised care
Care plans recorded people's preferences and staff adapted support to individual needs. People were supported to make choices and keep control over daily life.
“People received exceptional person-centred care and were supported to have choice and control.” from the report
Activities and community links
People could take part in varied activities, outings and faith or community events. The home also supported visitors and family relationships.
“People lived fulfilling lives and were supported in innovative and creative ways to avoid social isolation and links with the community were developed.” from the report
Staffing and medicines
Inspectors found a full staff team, safe recruitment and systems to cover absences. Medicines were stored, administered and checked safely.
“The provider had a full staff team and covered staff absences with bank staff.” from the report
Open leadership
The management team was described as approachable and open. Audits, meetings and action plans were used to monitor and improve the service.
“The provider had systems for assessing, monitoring and mitigating risk and improving the quality of the service.” from the report
Risk information was not always easy to find
minorSome risk assessments took time to locate on the electronic system. Managers accepted that recording needed to be more standardised and planned peer reviews of care plans.
“However, some risk assessments took time to locate on the system.” from the report
- 01How will you make sure every risk assessment is easy for staff to find, especially during an urgent situation?
- 02What activities and outings would be available for my relative, based on their interests and abilities?
- 03How would you adapt care if my relative's health, communication or dietary needs changed?
- 04How would you involve me and my relative in care plan reviews and decisions about daily care?
- 05What has changed since the November 2019 inspection, particularly in relation to the Caring rating changing from Outstanding to Good?
This was an unannounced inspection of the care home covering all five CQC questions, with both the premises and care provided examined. This explanation was written from the published report of 3 January 2020 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 Mary's Convent and Nursing Home
3 rated inspections over 5 years: the service has held its Good rating throughout.
- September 2020Inspected but not ratedcurrent ratingSafe: Inspected but not rated
Read what inspectors found at St Mary's Convent and Nursing Home →
- January 2020Goodstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: OutstandingWell-led: Good
Read what inspectors found at St Mary's Convent and Nursing Home →
- June 2017Goodstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: OutstandingResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- June 2015GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: OutstandingResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- September 2014
Report published without a new overall rating.
- July 2014Inspected but not rated
- November 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- August 2012
Report published without a new overall rating.
- July 2012
Report published without a new overall rating.
- August 2011
Report published without a new overall rating.
- February 2011
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 3 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.
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At least 100 live-in carers within about an hour of Hounslow
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Most charge £980 to £1,270 a week. 85 can care for a couple. 11 years' experience on average.
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“I can truly say that Peter always put Dad at the centre of everything and I know that they found a great friendship in difficult times.”
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