CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at The Holt
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
- Safe?
- Good
- Inspectors were assured that the home used protective equipment safely, accessed testing and had arrangements to prevent or manage infection outbreaks.
- Effective?
- Good
- Does the care work? Training, consent, food and drink, working with GPs and nurses.
- Caring?
- Good
- Are people treated with kindness and dignity?
- Responsive?
- Good
- Is care built around the person? Care plans, activities, complaints.
- Well-led?
- Good
- Is the home run well? The manager, the culture, how problems get found and fixed.
What inspectors found, April 2021
Inspected but not rated; inspectors found strong infection control and personalised support during the pandemic.
This was an announced, targeted inspection on 4 March 2021. Inspectors checked how the home prevented and controlled infections during the coronavirus pandemic.
There were two young people living in the home. Inspectors found safe visiting arrangements, regular testing, suitable protective equipment, clear isolation plans and good cleaning and ventilation.
Inspectors also found that people stayed in touch with family and friends and enjoyed activities suited to their interests. Staff understood people's needs and were supported by managers and the provider.
The home was inspected but not rated. This means the visit did not give an overall quality rating or a full rating across all five areas. The Safe question was also recorded as inspected but not rated.
Safe visiting
Visits were planned and risk assessed. The home helped people keep regular contact with family and friends.
“Each visit was risk assessed and all parties were aware of the guidelines for safe and enjoyable visiting.” from the report
Clean environment
Inspectors found the home clean, well ventilated and set up to support social distancing. Cleaning schedules covered touch points and deeper cleaning.
“The home was clean and hygienic and easily enabled zoning and space to allow social distancing and safe breaks for staff.” from the report
Activities and support
People had activities matched to their interests and were supported by staff who knew their needs well.
“There was a good range of activities to suit individual interests.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01How are visits currently arranged and risk assessed?
- 02What testing, protective equipment and isolation arrangements are currently in place?
- 03How often are touch points and the whole home cleaned, and how is this recorded?
- 04What activities are available now to match each young person's interests?
- 05How do staff explain health and safety information in ways each person can understand?
This was a targeted inspection of infection prevention and control measures during the coronavirus pandemic; it did not provide a full rating of the home or all five questions. This explanation was written from the published report of 20 April 2021 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, November 2018
The Holt is rated Good; inspectors found safe, kind and personalised care, with strong management arrangements.
This was an unannounced, comprehensive inspection on 27 October 2018. One inspector observed daily care, spoke with staff, a health and social care professional and relatives, and checked care plans, medicines, finance records and quality checks.
The home supported two people with learning disabilities. Inspectors found enough staff, safe recruitment, suitable risk assessments and safe medicines arrangements. Staff understood people's needs and supported their choices, health, communication and independence.
People were treated with kindness and respect. Care plans were personalised, activities and family contact were supported, and staff knew how people communicated. The provider had systems to monitor quality and safety.
All five areas were rated Good: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. The home was also rated Good at the previous inspection in March 2016, and this inspection found that the rating remained supported.
Safe staffing and risk support
Inspectors found enough staff to meet people's needs and keep them safe. Staff understood individual risks and the strategies used to manage them.
“People had sufficient numbers of staff to support them.” from the report
Kind and respectful care
Staff knew people well and supported them patiently. Inspectors saw positive relationships and respect for privacy, dignity and independence.
“People were supported by staff who were both kind and caring and we observed and heard staff treating people with patience and compassion.” from the report
Personalised communication
Care records explained how people communicated and what support they preferred. Staff used visual choices, simple questions and other suitable communication methods.
“People's communication needs were effectively assessed and met by staff.” from the report
Positive management
The acting manager was described as approachable and supportive. The provider used audits and other checks to monitor care quality and safety.
“The provider's governance framework, helped monitor the management and leadership as well as the ongoing quality and safety of the care people were receiving.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01How will you learn whether my relative is happy or worried if they cannot fully communicate verbally?
- 02Who is currently managing the home while the registered manager is unavailable?
- 03How are activities and daily outings planned around each person's interests and support needs?
- 04How do you check that medicines given only when needed are offered at the right time and recorded correctly?
- 05How are relatives and advocates involved in reviews and decisions about care?
This was an unannounced comprehensive inspection covering all five areas of quality, with observations, discussions and checks of care and management records. This explanation was written from the published report of 22 November 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 The Holt
2 rated inspections over 3 years: the service has held its Good rating throughout.
- April 2021Inspected but not ratedcurrent ratingSafe: Inspected but not rated
- November 2018Goodstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- April 2016GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- February 2015
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 26 February 2015.
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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17 live-in carers within about an hour of Devon
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 £1,270 a week. 15 can care for a couple. 13 years' experience on average.
“She is such a warm and gentle person while being professional and competent at the same time.”
“She looked after my mum, who can be incredibly challenging, so well and so gently, and we always felt confident that my mum was getting the best care available.”
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.