CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at The Orchards
Rated Requires improvement: inspectors found the home was not performing as well as it should and told it what to change.
What inspectors found, February 2021
The Orchards was rated Good overall; inspectors found safe, kind and personalised care, with communication still being improved.
This was the first inspection since the home registered. It was unannounced and took place on 29 January 2021. Inspectors spoke with five people, seven relatives and nine staff. They reviewed care records, medicine records, staff files and management records.
The home was rated Good in all five areas: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. Inspectors found enough staff, safe medicine systems, suitable infection control measures and staff who understood people's needs and risks.
People were supported with food, healthcare, activities and end of life wishes. Staff were described as kind and caring, and people were involved in decisions about their care. The inspection was prompted partly by concerns about medicines and safeguarding incidents, but inspectors found no evidence that people were at risk of harm from these concerns.
Kind and personalised care
Staff knew people well and adapted support to their individual needs, preferences and communication styles.
“Staff were kind, caring and motivated and people, their relatives and external professionals were complimentary about the care provided.” from the report
Safe medicines and risk management
Inspectors found accurate medicine records, suitable storage, staff competency checks and individual risk assessments.
“Staff kept accurate records of all medicines ordered, administered and disposed of.” from the report
Choice and independence
People were involved in decisions, offered choices about meals and supported to take part in everyday tasks and activities.
“People were given choice and control over their lives and staff made all attempts to support people in the least restrictive way.” from the report
Support at the end of life
Staff discussed people's wishes with them and their relatives and worked with health professionals to help people remain at home where possible.
“The service's ethos was that people should be able to die in their home if that was what they wanted.” from the report
Learning and oversight
The home reviewed incidents, accidents and audits, and used the findings to make improvements and share learning with staff.
“Information gathered from audits and from the review of incidents and accidents was used to improve the service.” from the report
No registered manager
needs fixingThere was no manager registered with the CQC at the inspection. The provider was legally responsible for how the home was run and for the quality and safety of care.
“The service did not have a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission.” from the report
Communication with relatives
minorRelatives had mixed views about communication. The home had started a fortnightly newsletter and more regular telephone contact, but this remained an area to keep under review.
“Communication can always be improved, we are continuing to ask relatives to let us know what other areas we could address.” from the report
- 01Who is currently responsible for managing the home, and is the manager now registered with the CQC?
- 02How are medicines checked, including medicines given when needed, and how are any errors followed up?
- 03How will you keep relatives updated about changes in care and what is happening in the home?
- 04How are people's risks, care plans and end of life wishes reviewed when their needs change?
- 05How are activities and support adapted for people living with dementia or communication difficulties?
This was the first comprehensive inspection of the newly registered home and covered all five CQC key questions, as well as infection prevention and control. This explanation was written from the published report of 20 February 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 Orchards
Each visit the CQC has published, newest first, back to the day the home was registered.
- February 2021Goodcurrent ratingSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- August 2019
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 9 August 2019.
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 Cambridgeshire
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 £1,200 a week. 14 can care for a couple. 12 years' experience on average.
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.