CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at The Homesteads
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
- Safe?
- Good
- Inspectors found enough staff, regularly reviewed risk assessments, suitable recruitment checks and good arrangements for medicines and emergencies.
- Effective?
- Good
- Staff received training, supervision and induction. People had choices about food and access to health professionals, and the home was found to follow the law on mental capacity and restrictions.
- Caring?
- Good
- Staff were friendly, kind and respectful. People were supported to make choices, be independent and maintain relationships with friends and family.
- Responsive?
- Good
- Care plans were detailed, personalised and updated when people's needs changed. People were supported with their interests and activities, and complaints were handled in a timely way.
- Well-led?
- Good
- The manager was visible and knew the people living in the home. Regular audits, handovers and meetings were used to monitor care and identify improvements.
What inspectors found, December 2018
The Homesteads was rated Good overall; inspectors found safe, kind and person-centred care, with no serious risks or concerns identified.
Inspectors visited on 16 October 2018 without telling the home in advance. One inspector spoke with three people living there, the manager and staff. They reviewed three care files, staff records, audits, policies and other information.
The home supported eight people with learning disabilities. Inspectors found enough staff, suitable safety checks, regular care plan reviews and good arrangements for medicines. Staff understood how to protect people from harm and support them to make choices.
People were treated kindly and supported to be independent, maintain relationships and follow their interests. Inspectors found personalised care plans, access to health professionals and a complaints process that responded in a timely way.
The overall rating stayed Good, as did all five areas: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. The previous inspection was also Good, and inspectors found no evidence of serious risks or concerns.
Enough staff
Inspectors found staffing levels were sufficient for people's assessed needs, with extra staff used when people went into the community.
“There were sufficient numbers of staff on duty to meet people's assessed needs and when people accessed the community, additional staff were deployed.” from the report
Kind and respectful care
Staff were seen to be friendly, caring and respectful. They knew people's preferences and supported their privacy, wellbeing and independence.
“We found staff to be friendly and caring towards people using the service.” from the report
Personalised support
Support plans included people's preferences, strengths and independence levels. They gave staff detailed guidance about how each person preferred to receive care.
“These were fully person centred and gave detailed guidance for staff so that staff could consistently deliver the care and support the people needed, in the way each person preferred.” from the report
Strong management checks
The manager carried out monthly audits covering care plans, activities and administration. Actions were recorded and checked at the next audit.
“The registered manager carried out a monthly manager's audit where they checked care plans, activities, management and administration of the service.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01The report says systems and processes were being updated and improved. What has been changed since the October 2018 inspection?
- 02How would you support my relative to make choices and remain as independent as they want to be?
- 03How do you review risk assessments and care plans when a person's needs or wishes change?
- 04How do you support people to maintain contact with family and take part in activities in the community?
- 05How are medicines checked, and how do you monitor for side effects from new medicines?
This was an unannounced inspection covering all five CQC questions, and the report used a shorter format because the overall Good rating had not changed. This explanation was written from the published report of 28 December 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 Homesteads
2 rated inspections over 3 years: the service has held its Good rating throughout.
- December 2018Goodcurrent ratingstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- May 2016GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- July 2014
Report published without a new overall rating.
- January 2014
Report published without a new overall rating.
- March 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- May 2011
Report published without a new overall rating.
- January 2011
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 20 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.
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
At least 100 live-in carers within about an hour of Thurrock
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. 86 can care for a couple. 12 years' experience on average.
“Usha rapidly became 'one of the family' and is sorely missed.”
“Always on time and with a lovely smile for my mum. Theresa is kind and sensitive to my mum's needs.”
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.