CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at The White House Care Home
Rated Outstanding: inspectors found the home performing exceptionally well.
- Safe?
- Good
- Inspectors were assured about infection prevention and control. They found suitable arrangements for PPE, testing, cleaning, social distancing, visitor checks and managing outbreaks.
- Effective?
- Outstanding
- This question was not rated or assessed in the report.
- Caring?
- Good
- This question was not rated or assessed in the report.
- Responsive?
- Outstanding
- This question was not rated or assessed in the report.
- Well-led?
- Outstanding
- This question was not rated or assessed in the report.
What inspectors found, February 2021
Inspected but not rated; inspectors were assured about infection prevention and control, including PPE, testing and cleanliness.
This was an announced, targeted inspection on 28 January 2021. It checked infection prevention and control because of coronavirus outbreaks in care homes. It was not a full inspection of all aspects of care.
Inspectors were assured that the home was managing infection risks. This included visitor checks, testing, PPE, social distancing, cleaning, laundry and arrangements for preventing or managing outbreaks.
The home was allowing essential visits only at the time. It also used video calls and had built a visiting pod. Activities were arranged safely to help reduce isolation.
The home was rated inspected but not rated overall. Safe was also inspected but not rated. This means the report gives findings about infection control, rather than a formal quality rating.
Infection control
Inspectors found the home clean and saw enhanced cleaning of frequently touched areas. There was also suitable management of contaminated laundry.
“The home was very clean and tidy. Furniture in communal areas had been arranged to maximise social distancing.” from the report
PPE and testing
There was plenty of PPE, with stations around the home. Visitors had health checks, temperature checks and lateral flow tests before visits.
“There was a plentiful supply of PPE and a number of PPE stations around the home.” from the report
Family contact
The home used video calls and had built a visiting pod to support safer family contact when visits were allowed.
“A visiting pod had been specially built to ensure families could visit safely once they were allowed to do so.” from the report
Reducing isolation
The home arranged socially distanced activities and used tablets and phones so people could join activities virtually.
“A great deal of thought had gone into ways to reduce social isolation as much as possible.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01How are family visits arranged now, and is the visiting pod still available?
- 02What testing is currently provided for residents, staff and visitors?
- 03What steps would the home take if there was an infection outbreak?
- 04How are activities and contact with families arranged for people who may be isolated?
- 05How often are frequently touched areas and communal spaces cleaned?
This was a targeted inspection of infection prevention and control only; it did not provide formal ratings for the other areas of care. This explanation was written from the published report of 12 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.
What inspectors found, December 2019
Rated Outstanding overall; inspectors found exceptional, person-centred care, with a few record-keeping issues to review.
The inspection was unannounced and took place on 21 November 2019. One inspector spoke with people, relatives and staff, observed care, and reviewed care, medicine, recruitment, training and management records. The inspector also considered feedback from health and social care professionals.
People's experience was extremely positive. Inspectors found that staff understood people's needs, supported their choices, and provided kind and respectful care. Activities were varied and helped people stay connected with each other and the wider community.
The home was rated Outstanding overall. Effective, Responsive and Well-led improved from Good at the previous inspection to Outstanding. Safe and Caring remained Good. Inspectors noted some medication and older-file record-keeping issues, but found these had not affected people's care.
Exceptional activities
The home offered creative activities that supported wellbeing, confidence and relationships. People were helped to take part in community events and achieve personal goals.
“The service was exceptional at promoting people's wellbeing, self-esteem and quality of life through a continuously developing offer of activities.” from the report
Effective health support
Staff used health monitoring tools and worked closely with other professionals. Inspectors said this improved people's wellbeing and helped avoid unnecessary hospital admissions.
“The service's partnership working with people and stakeholders to achieve good outcomes was exceptional.” from the report
Kind and person-centred care
People and relatives gave very positive feedback. Staff understood people's preferences, abilities and backgrounds, and supported dignity and independence.
“We observed warm, kind interactions between staff and people who lived at the service.” from the report
Strong leadership
Managers promoted learning, innovation and partnership working. Staff said managers were approachable and encouraged their input.
“There was a real feeling of positivity and drive to continuously improve care to make a difference for people.” from the report
Medicine records
minorOne person's medicine records were not fully consistent or clear and needed review. Inspectors said this had not affected the person's care.
“We highlighted one person's medication records for the service to review for consistency and clarity.” from the report
Older care files
minorSome older files needed replacing so that information did not fall out. This was a record-keeping matter rather than a reported failure in care.
“We considered with managers the need to replace some older files, to avoid information falling out.” from the report
- 01How have you checked and improved the consistency and clarity of medicine records since the inspection?
- 02Have the older care files been replaced, and how do you now prevent information falling out?
- 03How do you make sure the wide range of activities reflects each person's interests, abilities and wellbeing?
- 04How do you keep staff training up to date, including health monitoring and equality and diversity training?
- 05How do you check that personalised care plans, including end-of-life plans, remain current?
This was an unannounced planned inspection covering all five key questions, but inspectors reviewed a smaller number of records than usual because it was checking whether the previous Good rating had been sustained. This explanation was written from the published report of 18 December 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 White House Care Home
3 rated inspections over 5 years: the service has improved, from Good to Outstanding.
- February 2021Inspected but not ratedcurrent ratingSafe: Inspected but not rated
- December 2019Outstandingup from GoodSafe: GoodEffective: OutstandingCaring: GoodResponsive: OutstandingWell-led: Outstanding
- May 2017Goodstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- March 2015GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- November 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- May 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- August 2012
Report published without a new overall rating.
- June 2011
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 24 June 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
45 live-in carers within about an hour of Stockton-on-Tees
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 £1,190 a week. 40 can care for a couple. 10 years' experience on average.
“I found Alison to be kind , caring helpful concencious... Alison has a heart of gold”
“Petty introduced herself to Mum every time she was caring for her and responded very quickly to Mum if she was distressed in the night.”
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.