CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at The Avenue Care Home
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
What inspectors found, February 2019
The Avenue Care Home was rated Good overall, with safe, kind and personalised care, although medicine competency checks were still being put in place.
Inspectors carried out an unannounced, comprehensive inspection on 15 January 2019. They spoke with seven people, the manager, providers and staff. They looked at care records, medicines, staff files, training and records about how the home was run.
The home was rated Good in all five areas: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. People were protected from abuse, risks were assessed, medicines were managed safely and there were enough staff. The home was clean and well maintained.
Inspectors found that staff were kind and respectful. Care was personalised, people were supported to make choices and take part in activities, and the home worked with health professionals. There was a new manager who was applying to become registered with the CQC.
Safe care and staffing
Inspectors found that risks were assessed, accidents were reviewed and there were enough staff to meet people's needs. Recruitment checks were also in place.
“People were supported by sufficient numbers of staff who had the right mix of experience and skills.” from the report
Kind and respectful staff
Staff understood people's needs and preferences. Inspectors saw staff protect privacy, respect choices and provide support in a sensitive way.
“We saw staff throughout our inspection were sensitive when supporting people, they respected people's choices and acted on their requests and decisions.” from the report
Personalised support
Care plans included people's life histories, interests and communication needs. People were supported to follow hobbies, attend activities and maintain independence.
“People received personalised care that was responsive to their needs.” from the report
Clean and well maintained home
The home was described as very clean, tidy and fresh. Cleaning staff followed schedules and infection control guidance.
“The environment was extremely clean, tidy and fresh.” from the report
Good choice and nutrition
People had a choice of meals and access to fresh fruit. Staff understood dietary needs and supported people to eat and drink enough.
“People told us there was always plenty to eat and drink and always a choice of menu.” from the report
Medicine competency checks
needs fixingAudits had identified that staff competency assessments were needed. The new manager was putting these checks in place at the time of inspection.
“These audits had identified that staff competency assessments were required and the new manager was implementing this.” from the report
Change of manager
minorThe former registered manager had stepped down from management duties. A new manager was in post and was applying to become registered with the CQC.
“There was a new manager in post who had begun the application to become registered as the manager.” from the report
- 01Have all staff now completed the medicine competency assessments identified by the audit?
- 02Has the new manager's application to become registered with the CQC been completed?
- 03How do you check that care plans continue to reflect each person's physical, mental, emotional and social needs?
- 04What activities and outings are currently available for people with different interests and abilities?
- 05How are people's views and relatives' feedback used to make changes to the home?
This was an unannounced comprehensive inspection covering all five CQC questions, the premises and the care provided. 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 The Avenue 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
- April 2016GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- July 2014
Report published without a new overall rating.
- August 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- January 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- January 2012
Report published without a new overall rating.
- January 2011
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 17 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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At least 100 live-in carers within about an hour of Worcestershire
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 £1,260 a week. 85 can care for a couple. 9 years' experience on average.
“I have never met a person who is so kind and thinks about others before himself to such an extent as Chris Malagala.”
“She was very caring, kind and patient to all his needs, she built up a wondetful rapport with him, she was dedicated and was there for him through good times as well as through the tough times”
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.