CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at Summer Fields
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
- Safe?
- Requires improvement
- Inspectors were assured that infection control measures, visiting arrangements, testing, personal protective equipment and safe admissions were in place. The provider also described measures to manage COVID-19-related staffing pressures.
- Effective?
- Good
- This question was not assessed in this targeted inspection.
- Caring?
- Good
- This question was not assessed in this targeted inspection.
- Responsive?
- Good
- This question was not assessed in this targeted inspection.
- Well-led?
- Good
- This question was not assessed in this targeted inspection.
What inspectors found, February 2022
Inspected but not rated; inspectors found infection control and visiting arrangements were in place during a COVID-19 outbreak.
This was a targeted inspection on 24 January 2022. Inspectors looked at infection prevention and control, visiting arrangements and staffing pressures linked to COVID-19. The inspection was announced with two hours' notice.
The home was experiencing a COVID-19 outbreak. Inspectors were assured that visitors were being managed safely, people were admitted only after a negative COVID-19 test, and staff used personal protective equipment correctly. Regular testing, cleaning schedules and vaccination checks were also in place.
The home made exceptions for essential care givers, people receiving end of life care and visits judged to be in a person's best interests. The service was inspected but not rated, so this report does not provide a full overall quality rating.
Safe visiting
Visiting was restricted during the outbreak, but arrangements allowed visits for essential care givers and for people receiving end of life care.
“However, there were also safe measures in place to facilitate visits for people receiving end of life care and where it had been assessed as being in the persons best interest due to their wellbeing.” from the report
Protective equipment
The home had suitable stocks of protective equipment, and staff were trained and checked on how to use it.
“Stocks of the right standard of personal protective equipment (PPE) were well maintained and staff used and disposed of it correctly.” from the report
Testing and safe admissions
People and staff had access to regular testing. New admissions required evidence of a negative COVID-19 test.
“Safe procedures were followed for admitting people to the service. People were only admitted following evidence of a negative COVID-19 test.” from the report
Infection control
Inspectors were assured that the home had up-to-date infection control procedures, regular cleaning and measures to manage outbreaks.
“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 will visits work while there is a COVID-19 outbreak, and what arrangements are available for essential care givers?
- 02How will you support visits if my relative is receiving end of life care or a visit is judged to be in their best interests?
- 03What measures are currently in place to manage COVID-19-related staffing pressures?
- 04How often are residents and staff tested, and how do you check that staff use personal protective equipment correctly?
- 05What vaccination checks are carried out for staff and visiting professionals?
This was a targeted inspection of infection prevention and control, visiting arrangements and COVID-19-related staffing pressures; it was not a full rated inspection of all five questions. This explanation was written from the published report of 19 February 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, December 2020
Inspected but not rated; inspectors were assured about infection control, although some improvements were still being put in place.
This was an unannounced, targeted inspection on 3 December 2020. It looked only at infection prevention and control because the home had a coronavirus outbreak.
Inspectors found suitable infection control policies, regular checks and enough personal protective equipment. They were assured that the home was testing people and staff, managing admissions safely and using measures to control the outbreak.
The home was not given an overall quality rating, or a rating for safe care. This report does not assess areas such as caring, staffing, activities or management in full.
Infection control policies
The home had infection control policies based on current government guidance and carried out regular checks.
“The service had appropriate infection control policies and procedures in place.” from the report
Personal protective equipment
There were enough supplies of PPE, with dedicated stations for staff.
“There were sufficient supplies of personal, protective equipment (PPE) in place for staff to use” from the report
Testing and admissions
New admissions were subject to testing and an isolation period. No new admissions were taking place during the outbreak.
“There was a system in place to ensure that all new admissions to the service had a negative Covid 19 test prior to admission.” from the report
Contact with loved ones
While visits were suspended during the outbreak, people were supported to keep in touch by video and telephone.
“In the meantime, people were supported to maintain contact with their loved ones via video and telephone calls.” from the report
Earlier infection control improvements
needs fixingThe local NHS infection control team had identified improvements that were needed. The manager had started to address them by the time of this inspection.
“They identified that some improvements to infection control standards within the home needed to be made.” from the report
Social distancing was difficult
needs fixingInspectors said it was difficult to apply social distancing and keeping people in separate groups rigidly because of the needs of people living there.
“It was however difficult for social distancing and cohorting within the home to be rigidly applied due the needs of the people living there.” from the report
- 01Which infection control improvements identified by the NHS infection control team have now been completed?
- 02How do you manage social distancing and separate groups when people’s needs make this difficult?
- 03What are the current arrangements for visiting and keeping families in contact?
- 04How are new admissions tested and isolated during an infection outbreak?
This was a targeted inspection of infection prevention and control during a coronavirus outbreak; the service was not rated overall and the other quality areas were not assessed. This explanation was written from the published report of 15 December 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 Summer Fields
2 rated inspections over 2 years: the service has held its Good rating throughout.
- February 2022Inspected but not ratedcurrent ratingSafe: Inspected but not rated
- December 2020Inspected but not ratedSafe: Inspected but not rated
- May 2018Goodstayed GoodSafe: Requires improvementEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- April 2016GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- September 2014
Report published without a new overall rating.
- May 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- November 2012
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 23 November 2012.
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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40 live-in carers within about an hour of Wirral
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 £1,230 a week. 37 can care for a couple. 8 years' experience on average.
“It was clear that she genuinely cared and her warm approach really helped put our minds at ease.”
“He developed a close affinity with Terence, spending time talking with him before he retired to bed and looking after his needs during the night.”
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.