CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at The Homestead
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
- Safe?
- Good
- People said they felt safe. Inspectors found suitable risk assessments, enough staff, safe medicines practice, appropriate recruitment checks and proper investigation of accidents and incidents.
- Effective?
- Good
- Staff had relevant training and regular supervision. People's health, nutritional and care needs were assessed, and staff worked with health professionals when needed.
- Caring?
- Good
- Inspectors saw kindness, patience and respect. People were involved in care planning, their choices were respected and staff supported their independence.
- Responsive?
- Outstanding
- The home provided a very broad range of activities and adapted support to individual needs, interests and life histories. Inspectors said the service went the extra mile and that this rating had improved from Good.
- Well-led?
- Good
- People, relatives and staff spoke positively about the management. Audits, meetings and action plans were used to monitor quality and support improvements.
What inspectors found, January 2019
Rated Good overall; inspectors found safe, kind care and exceptionally responsive support, with Responsive rated Outstanding.
This was an unannounced inspection on 12 and 14 December 2018. Inspectors spoke with people living at the home, relatives and staff. They observed care and activities, and checked care plans, staff files, training records, audits and other records.
The home was rated Good overall. Safe, Effective, Caring and Well-led were all rated Good. Inspectors found suitable staffing, safe medicines practice, trained staff, kind care and systems to monitor quality.
Responsive was rated Outstanding. Inspectors found a wide range of activities and individual support, including trips, community visits and activities based on people's life histories and preferences. The overall rating remained Good, while the Responsive rating improved from Good at the previous inspection.
Individual activities
The home used people's life histories, music, photographs and interests to create meaningful activities and reduce isolation.
“The service went the extra mile in providing people with a broad variety of activities to prevent social isolation.” from the report
Community involvement
People were supported to take part in trips, visits and events with community groups, volunteers and families. The home also brought activities into the home for people unable to travel.
“We saw evidence of the service working in partnership with the local community.” from the report
Kind and respectful care
People described staff as kind and caring. Inspectors saw staff listening patiently, protecting privacy and helping people remain independent.
“Everyone we spoke with told us staff were kind, caring and willing to spend time with people.” from the report
Safe staffing and medicines
Inspectors found enough staff on duty, swift responses to call bells and safe storage and administration of medicines.
“Medicines were stored, disposed of and administered safely.” from the report
Open management
Staff felt supported and valued. The home used regular meetings, audits and action plans to check standards and make improvements.
“The service had a positive culture that was open and honest.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01How will you match activities and outings to my relative's interests, life history and communication needs?
- 02How do you make sure there are enough staff on duty at different times of day, and how quickly are call bells usually answered?
- 03How will you involve my relative and our family in creating and reviewing their care plan?
- 04What support can you provide if my relative cannot travel to activities outside the home?
- 05How should we raise a concern or complaint, and how will we be told what action has been taken?
This was an unannounced inspection of all five key questions and the overall service, covering both the care provided and the premises. This explanation was written from the published report of 12 January 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 Homestead
2 rated inspections over 3 years: the service has held its Good rating throughout.
- January 2019Goodcurrent ratingstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: OutstandingWell-led: Good
- July 2016GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- June 2014
Report published without a new overall rating.
- November 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- May 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- May 2012
Report published without a new overall rating.
- December 2010
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 22 December 2010.
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.
Weigh the report against the rest
Fees, photos and reviews from families
How to read CQC ratings and reports
What to check when you visit
38 live-in carers within about an hour of Oxfordshire
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 £1,300 a week. 32 can care for a couple. 12 years' experience on average.
“We can all fully relax around Nyarai and she feels like part of our family, which is no mean feat!”
“She was v competent and confident and we felt our mum was safe in her care. She supported us through a difficult time.”
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.