CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at St Vincent's Care Limited
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
- Safe?
- Good
- People were protected from harm, risks were reviewed regularly and call bells were answered promptly. Medicines, recruitment and infection control were also found to be managed safely.
- Effective?
- Good
- The home assessed people's needs before admission and reviewed them regularly. Staff had training and support, and people's nutrition, hydration and access to health professionals were well managed.
- Caring?
- Good
- Staff treated people with kindness, patience and respect. People were involved in everyday choices and supported to remain as independent as possible.
- Responsive?
- Good
- Care plans were personalised and communication needs were recorded. People were offered activities, support to maintain relationships and appropriate end of life care.
- Well-led?
- Good
- Inspectors found positive leadership, regular audits and good communication with people, relatives, staff and other professionals. Feedback was collected and used to make improvements.
What inspectors found, May 2023
St Vincent's Care Limited is rated Good; inspectors found safe, kind and personalised care across all five areas.
This was an unannounced inspection on 25 April 2023. Inspectors spoke with people living in the home, staff, relatives and visiting professionals. They reviewed care plans, medicines records, risk assessments, accident records, safeguarding information, recruitment and training documents.
Inspectors found that people were safe and that risks were reviewed regularly. Staff were recruited safely and there were enough staff on duty. Medicines were managed by trained staff, the home was clean, and infection control arrangements were in place.
People received care that met their health, communication, nutrition and hydration needs. Staff were kind and respectful. Care plans were personalised, activities were provided daily, and people and relatives felt able to raise concerns.
The home was rated Good in Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. These ratings were unchanged from the previous inspection, which was published on 7 March 2018.
Risk management
Risks were assessed for each person and records were reviewed monthly or more often after an incident or change in circumstances.
“Risks to people were managed and documentation reviewed and updated regularly.” from the report
Kind and respectful care
Staff were patient and respectful. They protected people's privacy and supported independence without forcing people to accept help.
“Staff treated people with kindness and respect. People's dignity was maintained at all times and their privacy respected.” from the report
Personalised care
Care plans included people's personal histories, preferences, health needs and important relationships. Staff used these records to provide individual support.
“Care plans were person centred, providing a background to people's personal stories as well as giving detail about their health and care support needs.” from the report
Activities and social contact
A full-time activities co-ordinator offered group activities and one-to-one time. People could choose to join in or spend time quietly.
“A full time activities co-ordinator provided a range of daily activities for people either in small groups or 1 to 1.” from the report
Food and drink
People were offered choices at mealtimes and alternatives when requested. Staff understood individual dietary needs, allergies and preferences.
“People's nutrition and hydration needs were met. People were given choices each mealtime and further alternatives were prepared if requested.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01How would you assess and manage my relative's specific risks, such as falls, mobility or medicines?
- 02What training and experience do staff have in supporting people with dementia and my relative's other health needs?
- 03What activities and one-to-one support would be available if my relative did not want to join group activities?
- 04How would you involve us in decisions about care, appointments and end of life wishes?
- 05How quickly would you tell us about an accident, a change in health or a change to visiting arrangements?
This was an unannounced inspection covering all five key questions, including infection prevention and control; all five ratings were Good and unchanged from the previous inspection. This explanation was written from the published report of 19 May 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.
What inspectors found, February 2021
St Vincent's Care Limited was inspected but not rated; inspectors were assured that infection prevention and control measures were safe.
This was an announced, targeted inspection on 18 February 2021. It looked only at infection prevention and control after a Covid-19 outbreak.
The outbreak had ended by the inspection, although the home was still closed to visitors except for end-of-life care. People had been supported to isolate in their bedrooms.
Inspectors were assured about visitor controls, social distancing, admissions, PPE, testing, cleaning and outbreak management. Staff had received infection control and Covid-19 training, and managers checked the home each day.
The service was inspected but not rated. This report does not give an overall quality rating or ratings for the other areas of care.
Infection control checks
The home used regular deep cleaning and cleaned high-touch areas. Managers also carried out a daily walk around to check PPE use and cleanliness.
“Managers conducted a daily walk around of the home which included checking that staff were using PPE correctly and that the home was clean throughout.” from the report
Staff training
Staff had completed training and refresher training on infection prevention, PPE and Covid-19 awareness. Managers used supervision meetings to reinforce current guidance.
“All staff had completed internal and external training and refresher training in infection prevention and control, the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) and specific Covid-19 awareness training.” from the report
Contact with relatives
The home had used patio windows for safer visits and bought iPads and mobile phones so people could keep in touch during lockdown. A garden visiting pod was being built.
“The registered manager had purchased four iPads and additional mobile phones to facilitate people being able to see and speak to their relatives during lockdown.” from the report
Entry and PPE arrangements
Staff and visitors used a dedicated entrance and exit room. They completed health checks and put on full PPE before entering the home.
“Everyone completed a health questionnaire and had temperatures taken before putting on full PPE.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01What are the current visiting arrangements, now that the inspection report said the home was closed to visitors except for end-of-life care?
- 02Is the garden visiting pod now complete and available for visits?
- 03How are relatives supported to keep in contact if an outbreak or lockdown restricts visits?
- 04How often are high-touch areas and other parts of the home cleaned, and how is this checked?
- 05How often are staff refreshed on infection control, PPE and Covid-19 guidance?
This was a targeted inspection of infection prevention and control only; the service was inspected but not rated and the report does not assess the other areas of care. This explanation was written from the published report of 26 February 2021 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 Vincent's Care Limited
3 rated inspections over 8 years: the service has held its Good rating throughout.
- May 2023Goodcurrent ratingSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- February 2021Inspected but not ratedSafe: Inspected but not rated
- March 2018Goodstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- April 2015GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- December 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- September 2012
Report published without a new overall rating.
- August 2012
Report published without a new overall rating.
- March 2012
Report published without a new overall rating.
- January 2011
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 10 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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19 live-in carers within about an hour of East Sussex
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 £1,000 to £1,400 a week. 13 can care for a couple. 10 years' experience on average.
“When he point blank refused to go into hospital for a life saving blood transfusion she talked him through the situation and agreed to go in the ambulance with him and stayed until he was settled.”
“Una felt safe, secure and loved in her time with Debbie which is a gift that I am eternally grateful for.”
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.