CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at Stroud House
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
- Safe?
- Good
- Inspectors saw enough skilled staff and found that people received medicines safely. Recruitment checks, risk assessments, infection controls and procedures for learning from incidents were also in place.
- Effective?
- Good
- People's physical, mental health and social needs were assessed and reviewed. Staff received induction, shadowing and refreshed training, and people could access healthcare and personalised food support.
- Caring?
- Good
- Staff showed warm and kind interactions. People were involved in decisions, treated with dignity and supported to maintain their independence, privacy, faith and family relationships.
- Responsive?
- Good
- Care plans included detailed routines and preferences. The home offered daily activities, adapted communication where needed, responded to complaints and recorded people's end of life wishes.
- Well-led?
- Good
- Inspectors found an open management style, positive feedback from people, relatives and staff, and quality checks that led to completed improvements. The staff team was described as stable and consistent.
What inspectors found, January 2023
Rated Good; inspectors found safe, kind and personalised care, with no evidence that staffing concerns were putting people at risk.
The unannounced inspection took place on 31 October and 03 November 2022 after concerns were raised about staffing levels. One inspector spoke with people, relatives, professionals and staff, and reviewed care plans, medicines records, staff recruitment files and management records.
Inspectors found enough skilled staff during the visit. People received medicines safely, care plans reflected their needs, and staff understood how to protect people from harm. People and relatives described the care as kind, respectful and personalised.
The home supported choice, food and drink, healthcare access, activities and family visits. Inspectors also found strong training, good record keeping and active management. All five areas were rated Good, and the overall rating remained Good, as it was at the previous inspection published on 31 January 2018.
Staff available
Inspectors saw staff responding promptly and appearing unhurried. People and relatives also said there were enough staff to meet people's needs.
“During the inspection we observed there were enough skilled staff deployed to support people and meet their needs.” from the report
Kind and respectful care
People were treated as individuals, with staff listening to their choices and protecting their privacy and dignity.
“We saw a warm and caring approach by staff with positive and kind interactions between staff and people.” from the report
Personalised activities
Activities were varied and could be offered flexibly, based on people's interests and when they were most able to engage.
“The provider had developed an approach which optimised the opportunities for engagement in activities.” from the report
Open management
Inspectors found that managers listened to staff, relatives and people, and used quality checks and outside professional advice to improve care.
“Quality assurance systems were in place and identified areas of improvement.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01How do you adjust staffing when people's needs change, and how often are agency staff used?
- 02How will you make sure my relative's personal routines, food preferences and communication needs are recorded and followed?
- 03Which activities would suit my relative's interests, and how can family members take part?
- 04How are medicines reviewed if my relative's health or preferences change?
- 05How would you involve us in planning and recording my relative's end of life wishes?
This was an unannounced inspection prompted by concerns about staffing levels; inspectors examined all five key questions, while the report refers to the previous report as the last comprehensive inspection. This explanation was written from the published report of 17 January 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, January 2018
Stroud House was rated Good; inspectors found safe, kind and responsive care, with effective support and strong management.
This was an unannounced comprehensive inspection on 5 November 2017. One inspector spoke with a resident, family visitors, the manager and staff. They observed care and checked care plans, medicines records, staff records, audits and other documents.
The home was rated Good in all five areas: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. Inspectors found people were protected from abuse and avoidable harm, medicines were managed safely, and there were enough staff to support people.
People received care based on their needs, choices and routines. Staff were described as caring and respectful. The home had a friendly, homely atmosphere, activities suited to people's interests and systems to listen to feedback and make improvements.
Safe medicines and staffing
Inspectors found medicines were received, stored, recorded and given safely. They also found enough staff to support people safely, including on trips.
“Arrangements were in place to receive, record, store and handle people's medicines safely and securely.” from the report
Kind and respectful staff
Staff took time to communicate clearly, encourage people and check what support they needed. People were involved in decisions and supported to be independent.
“We saw staff engaging with people in a friendly, cheerful way, explaining things to them, and encouraging and praising them.” from the report
Personalised care and activities
Care plans reflected people's needs, wishes and preferred routines. Activities included trips, arts and crafts, and links with events outside the home.
“People received care and support which met their needs and took into account their wishes.” from the report
Positive management and improvement
The manager used surveys, meetings, supervision and audits to monitor the service. Feedback had led to changes to the laundry service and shared areas.
“There were systems in place to learn and improve.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01What progress has been made with appointing a staff dignity champion?
- 02What changes are planned to make the environment friendlier for people living with dementia?
- 03How will you make sure my relative's preferred routine is recorded and followed?
- 04What activities and trips would be suitable for my relative's interests and abilities?
- 05How would you support my relative's communication needs, including any hearing, sight or memory difficulties?
This was an unannounced comprehensive inspection covering all five CQC questions, and the home remained Good in every area. This explanation was written from the published report of 30 January 2018 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 Stroud House
3 rated inspections over 8 years: the service has held its Good rating throughout.
- January 2023Goodcurrent ratingstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- January 2018Goodstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- June 2015GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- July 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- November 2012
Report published without a new overall rating.
- February 2011
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 16 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.
Weigh the report against the rest
Fees, photos and reviews from families
How to read CQC ratings and reports
What to check when you visit
26 live-in carers within about an hour of Hampshire
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 £1,260 a week. 23 can care for a couple. 14 years' experience on average.
“I cannot recommend Prisca highly enough, she is one in a million.”
“He stayed with her throughout the pandemic, refusing to visit his own family, who lived nearby, to reduce the risk of infection.”
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.