CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at Strawberry Fields
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
- Safe?
- Good
- Inspectors were assured that the home used PPE safely, provided testing, managed visitors and admissions safely, and had suitable hygiene and infection control arrangements. The provider also said it had measures to manage COVID-19-related staffing pressures.
- Effective?
- Good
- Does the care work? Training, consent, food and drink, working with GPs and nurses.
- Caring?
- Good
- Are people treated with kindness and dignity?
- Responsive?
- Good
- Is care built around the person? Care plans, activities, complaints.
- Well-led?
- Requires improvement
- Is the home run well? The manager, the culture, how problems get found and fixed.
What inspectors found, January 2022
Inspected but not rated; inspectors were assured that infection control and COVID-19 safety measures were effective.
This was an announced, targeted inspection on 13 January 2022. Inspectors looked at infection prevention and control, and asked about staffing pressures linked to COVID-19.
Inspectors were assured about visitor checks, testing, personal protective equipment, social distancing, ventilation and cleaning. They also found that the home was following current infection control guidance and meeting COVID-19 vaccination requirements.
The home was inspected but not rated. This means the visit did not provide a new overall quality rating or a full assessment of all five areas of care.
Visitor safety checks
Visitors had to book, take a lateral flow test, have health checks and complete a COVID-19 questionnaire before entering.
“Any visitors to the home were required to complete a lateral flow device test, have their temperature taken, their pulse and oxygen levels checked with an oximeter” from the report
Testing and protective equipment
People living at the home and staff had regular COVID-19 testing. Staff had access to masks, gloves and aprons.
“Staff and people living at the home had access to regular testing for COVID-19.” from the report
Clean and hygienic environment
Inspectors found the home extremely clean and hygienic, with spacious communal areas and good ventilation.
“The home was extremely clean and hygienic.” from the report
Infection control arrangements
Inspectors were assured that the home could prevent and manage outbreaks and that its infection control policy was up to date.
“We were assured that the provider's infection prevention and control policy was up to date.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01How are COVID-19-related staffing pressures affecting staffing levels and people’s care now?
- 02What checks are currently required before visitors enter the home?
- 03How are people living at the home and staff tested for COVID-19?
- 04How do you manage an infection outbreak, and when was the infection prevention and control policy last reviewed?
- 05What vaccination requirements apply to staff and visiting professionals now?
This was a targeted inspection of infection prevention and control and COVID-19-related staffing pressures; it was not a full inspection and the service was inspected but not rated. This explanation was written from the published report of 29 January 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, May 2019
Rated Good overall; inspectors found safe, caring and personalised support, but the home’s leadership required improvement.
This was an unannounced inspection on 25 March 2019 by two inspectors. They reviewed care, medicines, staffing, incidents, complaints and quality records. They also observed daily support and spoke with relatives, staff and a health professional.
The home was rated Good for Safe, Effective, Caring and Responsive. Inspectors found people were protected from avoidable harm, received their medicines safely, had their health needs met and were supported by staff who knew them well. People were offered choices, personalised activities and support suited to their communication needs.
Well-led was rated Requires Improvement. The home had had three different managers since the previous inspection, and the new manager had only been in post for three weeks and was not yet registered with the CQC. Inspectors said more time was needed to make the improvements lasting.
Overall, the rating improved from Requires Improvement at the previous inspection, published in June 2018, to Good. The inspection was brought forward because of concerns about safety incidents and how risks were managed.
Personalised support
Staff understood people’s routines, preferences and communication needs. Care plans included detailed guidance on how to support each person.
“Staff had a good understanding of people's communication needs and were consistent in their approach.” from the report
Safety improvements
Risk assessments were detailed and staff had training for safeguarding and behaviours that could place people at risk. Inspectors found incidents were being reviewed and acted on.
“Since the manager had started at Strawberry Fields, there had been no further incidents.” from the report
Choice and activities
People had individual activity timetables based on their interests. Staff respected people’s decisions if they did not want to follow the planned activity.
“People had their own bespoke activities timetables, based on their interests and preferences.” from the report
Kind relationships
Inspectors saw people who appeared relaxed and comfortable with staff they knew. Relatives and professionals also described staff as caring and knowledgeable.
“We observed relationships had been built between people and staff based on mutual trust and respect.” from the report
Management turnover
needs fixingThere had been three different managers since the previous inspection. The new manager had been in post for only three weeks, so inspectors could not yet be sure that improvements would last.
“The service had had three different managers since the previous inspection.” from the report
Manager not yet registered
needs fixingThe home did not have a manager registered with the CQC when inspectors visited. The new manager planned to register.
“The service did not have a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission at the time of inspection.” from the report
Service size
minorThe home was registered for ten people, which inspectors said was larger than best practice guidance. The provider had plans to reduce this to seven beds and create two self-contained flats.
“It was registered to support ten people which is larger than best practice guidance.” from the report
Relative feedback
minorFeedback forms for relatives and professionals had not been collected since the previous inspection. Managers recognised this and were arranging for forms to be sent out.
“Feedback forms for relatives and professionals had not been sought since the previous inspection.” from the report
- 01How many managers have there been since the inspection on 25 March 2019, and is the current manager registered with the CQC?
- 02What happened to the plans to reduce the home from ten beds to seven and create two self-contained flats?
- 03How are incidents between people monitored now, and what changes were made to prevent them happening again?
- 04How do you make sure staff understand each person’s communication needs, routines and positive behaviour support plan?
- 05How do you collect and act on feedback from relatives and health and social care professionals?
This was an unannounced inspection prompted by safety concerns and it looked at all five key questions, including care, staffing, records, incidents and quality systems. This explanation was written from the published report of 4 May 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 Strawberry Fields
5 rated inspections over 3 years: the service has improved, from Requires improvement to Good.
- January 2022Inspected but not ratedcurrent ratingSafe: Inspected but not rated
- May 2019Goodup from Requires improvementSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Requires improvement
- June 2018Requires improvementstayed Requires improvementSafe: GoodEffective: Requires improvementCaring: GoodResponsive: Requires improvementWell-led: Requires improvement
- January 2018Requires improvementstayed Requires improvementSafe: Requires improvementEffective: Requires improvementCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Requires improvement
- July 2016Requires improvementstayed Requires improvementSafe: Requires improvementEffective: Requires improvementCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Requires improvement
- December 2015Requires improvementSafe: Requires improvementEffective: Requires improvementCaring: Requires improvementResponsive: Requires improvementWell-led: Requires improvement
- September 2014
Report published without a new overall rating.
- March 2014
Report published without a new overall rating.
- April 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- July 2011
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 5 July 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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28 live-in carers within about an hour of West 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 £1,020 to £1,170 a week. 23 can care for a couple. 11 years' experience on average.
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