CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at Vale House
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
- Safe?
- Good
- Inspectors found enough staff to meet people's needs, safe recruitment and safeguarding arrangements, and safe storage and administration of medicines. Health and safety checks, emergency plans and equipment servicing were also in place.
- Effective?
- Good
- Staff had relevant induction and training. The home worked within the Mental Capacity Act and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards, and care plans contained detailed information about people's health and wellbeing.
- Caring?
- Good
- Staff treated people with dignity and respect and showed kindness and empathy. People were involved in their support plans and staff actively promoted independence.
- Responsive?
- Good
- Support was tailored to people's individual goals, interests and complex needs. Care plans were updated when needs changed, and people had access to activities, community events and an easy-read complaints process.
- Well-led?
- Good
- Inspectors found positive, person-centred leadership and a well-established staff team. Regular audits, meetings, supervision and feedback systems were used to monitor and improve the service.
What inspectors found, June 2018
Rated Good in all five areas; inspectors found safe, kind and person-centred care with strong leadership.
The inspection was unannounced. One inspector visited the home and spoke with people living there, managers, care staff, a nurse and a healthcare professional. The inspector also reviewed care records, staff files, training records and audits.
The home provides accommodation and nursing support for men with learning disabilities, autism and complex needs. Inspectors found enough staff, safe medicines systems, suitable recruitment checks and detailed, personalised care plans.
Staff were described as kind and respectful. People were supported to make choices, stay independent, take part in activities and maintain relationships. The home had systems to monitor quality, respond to concerns and improve the service.
The overall rating was Good. Each of the five areas was also rated Good. The home was rated Good at the previous inspection in March 2016 and had continued to develop.
Kind and respectful staff
Staff knew people well and understood their histories, preferences and needs. Inspectors saw a good relationship between people and staff.
“We saw that staff treated people with dignity and respect and there was a good rapport between people staying at Vale House and the staff team.” from the report
Personalised support
Care plans focused on each person's wishes, goals, health and interests. People were involved in planning their support and managing risks.
“We saw person centred support plans and risk management strategies were in place.” from the report
Safe staffing and medicines
Inspectors found staffing levels were planned around people's needs. Medicines were stored securely, and records showed they had been given as prescribed.
“Medication Administration Records sheets (MARs) were signed and up to date and confirmed people received their medicines as prescribed.” from the report
Strong quality monitoring
The home used audits, meetings, feedback and action plans to check the quality of care and identify improvements.
“Effective systems were in place to monitor and assess the quality of the service provided.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01How would you assess whether my relative's complex needs can be safely met before they move in?
- 02How are staffing levels changed when people have appointments, outings or need extra support?
- 03How will my relative be involved in writing and reviewing their support plan and risk assessments?
- 04What activities and community opportunities would be available for my relative's interests and goals?
- 05How are medicines checked, recorded and reviewed if my relative's prescription changes?
This was an unannounced inspection of the overall quality of the care home, including its premises and care, and all five CQC questions were rated. This explanation was written from the published report of 21 June 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 Vale House
2 rated inspections over 2 years: the service has held its Good rating throughout.
- June 2018Goodcurrent ratingstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- June 2016GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- July 2015
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 22 July 2015.
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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At least 100 live-in carers within about an hour of Bolton
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. 92 can care for a couple. 10 years' experience on average.
“Primrose is a very kind and compassionate healthcare professional”
“He developed a close affinity with Terence, spending time talking with him before he retired to bed and looking after his needs during 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.