CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at St Matthews Care Home
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
- Safe?
- Good
- People were protected from avoidable harm. Inspectors found effective safeguarding, risk assessment, recruitment, medicines and infection control arrangements.
- Effective?
- Good
- People's outcomes were consistently good. Staff were trained and supported, care plans were individualised and people could access health professionals.
- Caring?
- Good
- People were treated with kindness, dignity and respect. Staff knew people's preferences and supported their choices and independence.
- Responsive?
- Good
- Care was personalised and people had choices about daily life. Activities included exercises, trips, baking, games, quizzes and entertainment.
- Well-led?
- Good
- The home was consistently managed and well-led. Managers were visible, staff felt listened to and audits and feedback were used to improve care.
What inspectors found, February 2019
Rated Good; inspectors found kind, personalised care with effective safety, staffing and management arrangements.
This was an unannounced, planned inspection on 29 January 2019. Inspectors spoke with people living at the home, relatives, staff and managers. They observed care, reviewed four care plans and checked management records.
The home was rated Good in all five areas: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. Inspectors found people were safe, treated with dignity, supported by trained staff and given care based on their preferences.
The home was clean and people said there were enough staff. Inspectors also found good arrangements for medicines, infection control, activities, complaints and learning from incidents.
The home was also rated Good at the previous inspection, published on 6 May 2016. The report says it remained Good overall.
Kind and respectful care
Inspectors saw caring interactions and found that staff knew people well. People's privacy, dignity and choices were respected.
“People told us staff were kind and caring and nothing was too much trouble for them.” from the report
Personalised support
Care plans recorded people's likes, dislikes, religious and spiritual preferences, and emotional support needs. Staff supported people to make daily choices and remain independent.
“Care and support was delivered in a personalised way by staff who knew people`s likes, dislikes and preferences.” from the report
Safety and staffing
People and relatives said there were enough staff. Inspectors found staff responded promptly, medicines were managed safely and recruitment checks had been completed.
“On the day of the inspection staff were quick to respond to people`s needs and answered calls promptly.” from the report
Good management
Managers were visible and approachable. The home used audits, feedback and incident reviews to monitor care and identify improvements.
“The registered manager used a range of effective audits and governance systems to check the quality and safety of the care people received.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01How will you make sure my relative's care plan reflects their current likes, dislikes, choices and support needs?
- 02How do you make sure there are enough staff to respond promptly to call bells and individual needs?
- 03What activities would be available for my relative, including quieter options if they do not want group activities?
- 04How would you support my relative's dietary needs and respond if they were at risk of malnutrition or dehydration?
- 05How would you record and review my relative's wishes about end of life care?
This was an unannounced inspection covering the premises and care provided, with ratings given for all five key questions. This explanation was written from the published report of 21 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 Matthews Care Home
2 rated inspections over 3 years: the service has held its Good rating throughout.
- February 2019Goodcurrent ratingstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- May 2016GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- August 2014
Report published without a new overall rating.
- June 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- July 2012
Report published without a new overall rating.
- December 2010
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 16 December 2010.
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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What to check when you visit
At least 100 live-in carers within about an hour of Hertfordshire
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 £1,300 a week. 82 can care for a couple. 12 years' experience on average.
“She handled the new situation in front of her with such professionalism and I felt I could trust her 100%.”
“She was v competent and confident and we felt our mum was safe in her care. She supported us through a difficult time.”
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.