CQC report explained · a nursing home
What the CQC found at The Heathers Nursing Home
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
- Safe?
- Good
- Inspectors found that risks, medicines, staffing, recruitment and infection control were managed effectively. One medicines discrepancy was found, but there was no impact and action was taken.
- Effective?
- Good
- People had detailed care plans, trained staff supported their needs, and people were helped with eating, drinking and healthcare. Staff worked with health and social care professionals.
- Caring?
- Good
- People were treated with kindness, dignity and respect. Staff involved people in decisions, respected privacy and promoted independence.
- Responsive?
- Good
- Care was personalised and communication needs were considered. Activities had reduced, but a new activity lead had been employed to improve opportunities for social stimulation.
- Well-led?
- Good
- Inspectors found a positive culture, supportive management and systems for checking quality and learning from incidents. Managers acted promptly on issues raised during the inspection.
What inspectors found, March 2022
Rated Good; inspectors found safe, kind and personalised care, with reduced activities and one medicines discrepancy noted.
This was the first inspection since the service became newly registered. The inspection was unannounced and took place on 08 February 2022, during a COVID-19 outbreak. Inspectors spoke with people, relatives and staff, and reviewed care plans, medicines records, recruitment files and management records.
The home was rated Good in all five areas: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. Inspectors found that risks were assessed, medicines were generally managed safely, staff were trained, and infection control arrangements were in place.
People were treated with kindness and respect. Care plans reflected people's needs and preferences, people were supported with food and healthcare, and staff worked with other professionals. The home had seen a reduction in activities, but had employed a new activity lead to increase them.
There was one medicines discrepancy, with no impact on the person, and a broken sluice room lock. The home manager acted on both issues when inspectors raised them. No breaches of regulations were reported.
Detailed care planning
Care plans reflected people's current needs, choices and personal preferences. Staff used this information to provide individual support.
“People's care plans were very detailed and reflected their current needs and choices.” from the report
Kind and respectful care
People were treated well, involved in decisions and supported to maintain their dignity and independence.
“People were supported and well treated by staff.” from the report
Safe systems
The home had systems for managing risks, checking staff suitability, handling medicines and preventing infections.
“The provider had effective systems in place to assess, monitor and manage potential risks to people's safety.” from the report
Responsive management
Managers reviewed incidents, complaints and quality checks, and acted promptly when inspectors raised issues.
“The registered manager and home manager acted immediately to investigate and action anything we raised on the day.” from the report
Reduced activities
needs fixingThe home acknowledged that opportunities for social stimulation had reduced. A new activity lead had been employed, but families should check what activities are now available.
“The home manager confirmed there had been a reduction in opportunities for people to have social stimulation” from the report
Medicines discrepancy
needs fixingInspectors found one discrepancy in a person's medicines. There was no reported impact, and the manager investigated it and discussed lessons with staff.
“We found one discrepancy with one person's medicine, we found no impact” from the report
Broken sluice room lock
minorInspectors found a broken lock on a sluice room door. It was fixed immediately after being raised.
“We also found a broken lock on a sluice room door, we raised this, and it was fixed immediately.” from the report
- 01What activities are now being provided since the new activity lead was employed?
- 02What extra checks are in place to prevent another medicines discrepancy?
- 03How are medicines audits completed and how are any errors followed up?
- 04How will you make sure my relative's care plan stays up to date as their needs or preferences change?
- 05How do you involve relatives in reviewing care, activities and complaints?
This was an unannounced first inspection of the newly registered service, covering all five key questions, with additional checks of infection prevention and COVID-19 vaccination arrangements during an outbreak. This explanation was written from the published report of 11 March 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.
Every inspection of The Heathers Nursing Home
5 rated inspections over 5 years: the service has improved, from Requires improvement to Good.
- March 2022Goodcurrent ratingup from Requires improvementSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- June 2020Requires improvementstayed Requires improvementSafe: Requires improvementEffective: Requires improvementCaring: Requires improvementResponsive: Requires improvementWell-led: Requires improvement
- January 2019Requires improvementstayed Requires improvementSafe: Requires improvementEffective: Requires improvementCaring: Requires improvementResponsive: Requires improvementWell-led: Requires improvement
- September 2017Requires improvementstayed Requires improvementSafe: Requires improvementEffective: Requires improvementCaring: GoodResponsive: Requires improvementWell-led: Requires improvement
- February 2017Requires improvementSafe: Requires improvementEffective: Requires improvementCaring: Requires improvementResponsive: Requires improvementWell-led: Inadequate
- August 2020
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 17 August 2020.
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 Staffordshire
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. 85 can care for a couple. 10 years' experience on average.
“We particularly appreciate the companionship Dawn gives in the evenings when she plays cards and Scrabble with my mother.”
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