CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at The Knights Care Home
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
- Safe?
- Good
- Inspectors were assured about the home's cleaning, testing, protective equipment, visiting arrangements and infection outbreak procedures. The provider also described measures to manage COVID-19-related staffing pressures.
- Effective?
- Good
- This area was not assessed in this targeted inspection.
- Caring?
- Good
- This area was not assessed in this targeted inspection.
- Responsive?
- Good
- This area was not assessed in this targeted inspection.
- Well-led?
- Good
- This area was not assessed in this targeted inspection.
What inspectors found, April 2022
Inspected but not rated; inspectors found good infection control, testing and safe visiting arrangements.
This was an unannounced, targeted inspection on 28 February 2022. It was carried out because of COVID-19 outbreaks and looked at infection prevention and control. Inspectors also asked about staffing pressures linked to COVID-19.
Inspectors found the home was clean and well maintained. Staff used protective equipment properly, had received COVID-19 training and had enough supplies. Regular testing, isolation procedures and infection control audits were in place.
Safe visiting was supported in line with current guidance. Visitors were screened and tested before visits. The home also helped people keep in touch with relatives by telephone and video calls.
The home was inspected but not rated. This means the report does not give an overall quality rating or full ratings for all five areas of care.
Regular testing
People living in the home and staff were tested regularly for COVID-19, and the home followed isolation guidance when positive results were found.
“People living at The Knights and staff were tested regularly for COVID-19, in line with government guidance.” from the report
Clean environment
The home was clean and maintained. Cleaning was planned and checked by senior staff.
“Staff followed written schedules for cleaning each area of the home. Completion of cleaning was monitored by senior staff.” from the report
Protective equipment
Staff had COVID-19 training, used protective equipment correctly and had ample supplies available.
“We observed staff used personal protective equipment (PPE) appropriately. The service had ample stocks of PPE.” from the report
Visiting and contact
The home supported safe visits, including some bedroom and window visits, and helped people keep in touch with relatives by phone and video.
“The service facilitated safe visiting in line with current guidance.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01How are you currently managing staffing pressures caused by COVID-19?
- 02What happens if there is a COVID-19 outbreak, and how are residents and relatives informed?
- 03How often are cleaning checks completed, and what happens if a check shows a problem?
- 04What testing and screening is currently required for visitors?
- 05How do you keep residents in contact with relatives when visits are restricted?
This was a targeted inspection of infection prevention and control, with questions about COVID-19-related staffing pressures; it was not a full assessment of all five quality areas. This explanation was written from the published report of 8 April 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.
What inspectors found, January 2021
The Knights Care Home was rated Good; inspectors found safe infection control and strong management, but the manager was not yet registered.
This was an announced inspection on 10 December 2020. One inspector spoke with one person, three relatives and four staff members. They also checked the building, two care records, medicines, staffing, recruitment, infection control and management records.
The home was rated Good overall. Safe and Well-led were both rated Good. Inspectors found good infection control arrangements, enough staff, safe medicines procedures and systems to protect people from abuse and avoidable harm.
The home had a new manager, but they were not yet registered with the CQC when inspectors visited. The provider had started the registration process. Inspectors found the home was well managed and had extensive audits and opportunities for people, relatives and staff to give feedback.
The inspection focused on Safe and Well-led. The other three key question ratings were carried over from the previous comprehensive inspection, which was published in April 2018.
Infection control
Staff had updated COVID-19 guidance, good supplies of protective equipment and infection control stations around the home. Inspectors saw staff using equipment correctly.
“There were good stocks of PPE and infection control stations throughout the home.” from the report
Safe staffing
The management team arranged extra staff when COVID-19 affected staffing levels. Recruitment checks were also described as safe and thorough.
“when we have been short due to COVID they have ensured extra people have been available to fill in.” from the report
Safe medicines
Staff were trained and medicines administration was regularly checked. The management team acted on discrepancies to improve safe practice.
“The management team had good systems and procedures to manage people's medication safely.” from the report
Open management
The home used audits, surveys and other feedback to monitor the service and make improvements. Staff said they worked well as a team.
“The management team had extensive auditing systems to maintain ongoing monitoring of The Knights Care Home.” from the report
Manager registration
needs fixingThere was no manager registered with the CQC at the time of the inspection. A new manager had been recruited and was going through the registration process.
“At the time of the inspection there was no manager registered with the Care Quality Commission.” from the report
- 01What is the current progress of the manager's application to register with the CQC?
- 02How are infection control guidance, PPE supplies and staff practice kept up to date?
- 03How does the home make sure there are enough staff when people are absent or COVID-19 affects staffing?
- 04How are medicines checks and any discrepancies followed up?
- 05How can relatives give feedback about visiting arrangements and the way the home is run?
This was a focused inspection of Safe and Well-led only; the other key question ratings were carried over from the previous comprehensive inspection published in April 2018. This explanation was written from the published report of 20 January 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.
Every inspection of The Knights Care Home
4 rated inspections over 5 years: the service has improved, from Requires improvement to Good.
- April 2022Inspected but not ratedcurrent ratingSafe: Inspected but not rated
- January 2021Goodstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- April 2018Goodstayed GoodSafe: GoodWell-led: Good
- November 2016Goodup from Requires improvementSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- June 2016Requires improvementSafe: Requires improvementEffective: Requires improvementCaring: GoodResponsive: Requires improvementWell-led: Requires improvement
- October 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- December 2012
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 26 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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85 live-in carers within about an hour of Lancashire
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 £1,260 a week. 78 can care for a couple. 11 years' experience on average.
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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.