CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at The Hollies Residential Care Home
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
- Safe?
- Good
- Inspectors found medicines were safely handled, risks were assessed and staffing levels met people's needs. Staff understood safeguarding procedures and recruitment checks had been completed.
- Effective?
- Good
- Staff had suitable training and support. People's needs were assessed before they moved in, care plans were reviewed regularly and links with health and social care professionals were in place.
- Caring?
- Outstanding
- Staff were exceptionally kind, respectful and patient. They understood people's mental health needs, involved them in decisions and supported them to become more independent.
- Responsive?
- Good
- Care was based on people's individual needs, preferences, routines and goals. People could follow their interests, maintain relationships and raise concerns.
- Well-led?
- Good
- There was a clear management structure and staff said they felt supported and listened to. Audits and other checks were used regularly to monitor quality and make improvements.
What inspectors found, September 2019
The Hollies Residential Care Home is rated Good overall; inspectors found exceptionally caring support and good performance in all other areas.
This was an unannounced, planned inspection. One inspector spoke with seven people who used the service and five staff members. They reviewed care records, medicine records, recruitment files and management documents.
The home supported up to 18 people with mental health problems. There were 15 people living there during the visit. Inspectors found people were safe, had enough trained staff, received suitable food and had personalised care plans.
Caring was rated Outstanding. Inspectors found staff understood people very well, respected their choices and promoted independence. Safe, Effective, Responsive and Well-led were each rated Good, meaning the service was consistently meeting the standards inspectors checked.
Kind and respectful staff
People described staff as patient and understanding. Inspectors observed a very caring atmosphere and strong relationships between staff and people.
“Staff were exceptionally caring and treated people with kindness and respect.” from the report
Support for independence
Staff helped people make choices, use the community and work towards independent living. People were also supported to take part in everyday tasks at the home.
“Promoting independence was at the heart of homes culture.” from the report
Personalised care
Care plans included people's life histories, preferences, routines and goals. Staff knew people well and adjusted support when their needs changed.
“People had clear, detailed and person-centred care plans, which guided staff on the most appropriate way to support them.” from the report
Regular quality checks
The management team used audits to monitor the service and identify improvements. Staff understood their roles and said they worked together well.
“Audits were used to assess standards and drive up improvements. We saw these were regularly completed and reviewed.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01How would you support my relative if their mental health began to decline?
- 02How do you assess and review risks while still helping people become more independent?
- 03What training do staff have for my relative's specific mental health and support needs?
- 04How often would my relative's care plan be reviewed, and how would they be involved?
- 05How can my relative or family raise a concern or make a complaint?
This was an unannounced, planned inspection covering all five CQC questions, including the premises and care provided; Caring improved from Good at the previous inspection to Outstanding. This explanation was written from the published report of 27 September 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.
What inspectors found, March 2017
The Hollies Residential Care Home was rated Good; inspectors found safe, kind and personalised care, with no major shortfalls.
This was an unannounced inspection on 12 January 2017. Inspectors spoke with 10 people living at the home, one relative, staff and a healthcare professional. They reviewed care plans, medicine records and staff recruitment files, and observed the home.
The home supported up to 18 adults with mental health problems. Inspectors found that risks were assessed, medicines were managed safely and there were enough staff. Staff had suitable training, understood safeguarding and received supervision.
People described staff as kind, respectful and supportive. Care plans reflected people's preferences and routines. People had access to activities, food choices and outside healthcare support. The home also had complaint and quality-checking systems.
All five areas were rated Good: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. The home had also been rated Good at the previous inspection on 1 October 2014, so it remained Good.
Kind and respectful staff
Inspectors saw cheerful and supportive interactions. Staff knew people well and showed patience when people needed repeated reassurance.
“Throughout the inspection we observed staff interacting with people with care and kindness.” from the report
Personalised support
Care plans included people's likes, dislikes, life stories and routines. Staff understood how each person preferred to be supported.
“The support plans were written in an individual and person centred way.” from the report
Safe medicines and staffing
Medicines were stored securely and records were completed correctly. Inspectors also found enough staff to meet people's needs.
“Two staff members administered medicines at all times, medicine administration records [MARs] were completed correctly.” from the report
Activities and independence
People were supported to take part in household tasks, local activities and hobbies. The home encouraged people to remain independent.
“Everyone who lived at the service was independent and staff encouraged people to maintain their independence.” from the report
Feedback could be more detailed
minorFeedback questionnaires were positive, but people were mainly ticking yes. The manager said the way feedback was collected would be changed to obtain more information.
“The registered manager wanted to obtain more information.” from the report
Night medicines had previously been rushed
needs fixingA medicine audit found that night medicine administration was being rushed. The home changed the night worker's start time, and inspectors were told medicines were then given more promptly.
“The registered manager told us that following a medicine audit it became clear the night medicine administration was being rushed.” from the report
- 01How will you make sure medicines are given calmly and on time, especially at night?
- 02How are changes in a person's mental health identified, recorded and acted on?
- 03How will you gather detailed feedback from residents and relatives rather than mainly yes-or-no answers?
- 04Which activities and household tasks would be suitable for my relative's interests and abilities?
- 05How would you support my relative to stay independent while managing any risks?
This was an unannounced inspection covering all five CQC questions, with the overall rating and each individual rating assessed as Good. This explanation was written from the published report of 25 March 2017 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 Hollies Residential Care Home
3 rated inspections over 5 years: the service has held its Good rating throughout.
- September 2019Goodcurrent ratingstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: OutstandingResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
Read what inspectors found at The Hollies Residential Care Home →
- March 2017Goodstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
Read what inspectors found at The Hollies Residential Care Home →
- January 2015GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- November 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- February 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- December 2011
Report published without a new overall rating.
- January 2011
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 7 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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45 live-in carers within about an hour of Stockton-on-Tees
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 £1,190 a week. 40 can care for a couple. 10 years' experience on average.
“I found Alison to be kind , caring helpful concencious... Alison has a heart of gold”
“Petty introduced herself to Mum every time she was caring for her and responded very quickly to Mum if she was distressed in 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.