CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at The Limes Residential Home
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
What inspectors found, June 2023
Rated Good; inspectors found safe, kind and well-managed care, with some care plans and personal choices needing clearer follow-up.
This was an unannounced follow-up inspection. Inspectors visited on 15 and 18 May 2023, spoke with people, relatives and staff, and checked care plans, medicines records, audits, training records and recruitment files.
The home was rated Good overall and Good in all five areas: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. People told inspectors they felt safe, received their medicines, had enough food and were treated kindly and respectfully.
Inspectors found enough staff, suitable recruitment checks, regular training and good infection control. Staff supported people's choices, communication, independence, activities, religious needs and access to healthcare.
Some care plans did not contain enough personalised detail. Inspectors also found that some people needed reminders that they could choose alternative meals or different times for personal care. One person's eye drops had not been disposed of after 28 days, but this was corrected during the inspection.
People felt safe
People told inspectors they felt safe living at the home. Safeguarding procedures were in place and had been used when needed.
“People told us they felt safe living at The Limes Residential Home.” from the report
Kind and respectful care
Staff involved people in their care and supported their dignity, privacy and independence. Inspectors observed warm and friendly interactions.
“We observed warm and friendly interactions between people and staff throughout our inspection.” from the report
Good staff support
There were enough staff, recruitment checks had been completed, and staff received training relevant to people's needs.
“Records showed staff received training relevant to people's care needs, such as safeguarding, moving and handling, medicines, first aid and fire safety.” from the report
Activities and communication
People took part in activities and pursued their own interests. Staff supported different communication needs, including the use of large print and visual prompts.
“People took part in entertainment arranged by staff on each day of our inspection.” from the report
Improved management
The home had improved since the previous inspection. Audits, meetings and surveys helped the manager monitor quality and listen to people's views.
“Regular checks and audits were in place to check on the quality and safety of services.” from the report
Care plans needed more detail
needs fixingSome care plans did not give enough personalised information to support consistent care, including for epilepsy and catheter care. The manager agreed to review them.
“Care plans for some areas of people's healthcare needs required more detail to help ensure care was consistent.” from the report
One medicines check was missed
needs fixingOne person's eye drops had not been disposed of after the recommended 28 days. Staff disposed of them and started new eye drops during the inspection.
“However, we found one person's eye drops had not been disposed of after 28 days of opening as recommended.” from the report
- 01What has been changed in care plans for people with epilepsy or catheter care needs?
- 02How do you check that eye drops and other medicines are disposed of at the right time?
- 03How are residents reminded that they can choose alternative meals?
- 04How are residents told they can have a bath or shower at a time they choose?
- 05How do you use residents' meeting and survey feedback to improve activities and daily care?
This was an unannounced follow-up inspection focused on checking improvements after the previous inspection, with infection prevention and control also reviewed under Safe. This explanation was written from the published report of 6 June 2023 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 Limes Residential Home was inspected but not rated; inspectors found good infection-control practice during a COVID-19 outbreak.
This was an unannounced, targeted inspection on 4 December 2020. It happened because the home had experienced a significant COVID-19 outbreak.
Inspectors looked at infection prevention and control. They were assured that the home was following shielding and social distancing rules, arranging testing, using suitable hygiene measures and keeping its infection-control policy up to date.
Staff had training in using personal protective equipment, and inspectors saw PPE being used correctly. The home was clean, with cleaners regularly wiping touch points. Visitors were not allowed during the outbreak, apart from essential medical professionals.
The service was inspected but not rated. This report therefore does not give an overall quality rating or ratings for most areas of care.
PPE training and use
Staff had been trained to put on and remove PPE. Inspectors saw PPE available throughout the home and used correctly.
“Staff had received training in putting on and taking off personal protective equipment (PPE), and we saw this was accessible throughout the home and staff used it in accordance with the most up to date guidance.” from the report
Up-to-date infection policy
The infection-control policy and COVID-19 procedures were current. Audits showed that actions had been taken to maintain standards.
“The infection control policy was up to date. We reviewed audits which reflected actions had been taken to maintain the standards within the home.” from the report
Clean environment
Inspectors saw cleaners working in different areas and regularly wiping surfaces that people often touch.
“The home was clean and we saw cleaners in different areas ensuring that touch points were wiped regularly.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01How are you currently managing COVID-19 or other infection outbreaks?
- 02How do you arrange testing for people living here and for staff when needed?
- 03How do you make sure all staff remain trained and competent in using PPE?
- 04How often are touch points and other shared areas cleaned?
- 05What are the current visiting arrangements, and how would these change during an outbreak?
This was a targeted, unannounced inspection of infection prevention and control because of a significant COVID-19 outbreak; the service was inspected but not rated. 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 Limes Residential Home
3 rated inspections over 6 years: the service has held its Good rating throughout.
- June 2023Goodcurrent ratingSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- January 2021Inspected but not ratedSafe: Inspected but not rated
- August 2019Requires improvementdown from GoodSafe: GoodEffective: Requires improvementCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Requires improvement
- January 2017GoodSafe: GoodEffective: Requires improvementCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- February 2014
Report published without a new overall rating.
- December 2012
Report published without a new overall rating.
- November 2011
Report published without a new overall rating.
- January 2011
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 11 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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Most charge £1,020 to £1,260 a week. 62 can care for a couple. 12 years' experience on average.
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