CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at Wallace Mews
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
- Safe?
- Good
- Inspectors found detailed risk plans, safeguarding systems, enough staff and safe recruitment. They also found unlocked doors to areas containing cleaning materials, but the manager acted immediately to make this safe.
- Effective?
- Good
- This area was not assessed during this focused inspection. Its previous rating was carried forward.
- Caring?
- Good
- This area was not assessed during this focused inspection. Its previous rating was carried forward.
- Responsive?
- Good
- This area was not assessed during this focused inspection. Its previous rating was carried forward.
- Well-led?
- Good
- Inspectors found positive leadership, regular checks and an open culture. People, relatives, staff and professionals were involved and said managers were approachable.
What inspectors found, February 2024
Wallace Mews is rated Good; inspectors found safe, person-centred care, with some minor safety, medicines and training issues.
This was a focused inspection on 23 January 2024. One inspector spoke with three people, six staff, two relatives and two professionals. They also reviewed care records, medicines information and other documents.
The home was rated Good for Safe and Well-led. Inspectors found detailed risk plans, enough staff, safe recruitment and systems for safeguarding. People appeared happy and relaxed, and relatives and professionals said they felt people were safe.
There were some issues. Unlocked doors led to areas containing cleaning materials, although this was fixed during the inspection. There had also been minor medicines errors, some gaps in cleaning records and some statutory training below 80% completion.
This was not a full inspection of every area of care. The ratings for Effective, Caring and Responsive were carried forward from the previous comprehensive inspection in 2018. The overall rating remained Good.
Respectful, individual care
Care records included people's preferences and choices. Inspectors found that staff respected people as individuals and supported their independence.
“People were supported in a way that respected them as individuals and their personal and cultural choices.” from the report
Staffing and safeguarding
Inspectors found enough suitable staff and safe recruitment checks. Staff understood safeguarding and relatives and professionals said people were safe.
“The provider ensured there were sufficient numbers of suitable staff.” from the report
Positive atmosphere
People appeared happy and relaxed with staff. Inspectors found a friendly, homely atmosphere and good relationships.
“There was a friendly and homely atmosphere at the service and people and staff enjoyed each other's company.” from the report
Strong management
The home had a clear management structure, regular checks and an open culture. Families and professionals were involved in people's care and activities.
“There was a positive and open culture at the service.” from the report
Unlocked cleaning areas
needs fixingSome doors to areas containing cleaning materials were unlocked, creating a potential hazard. The manager acted during the inspection to make the situation safe.
“We found a number of doors into areas where there were cleaning materials stored were unlocked.” from the report
Previous medicines errors
needs fixingThere had been several minor medicines errors before the inspection. The home had provided refresher training and had recently introduced an electronic medicines records system.
“There had been a number of minor medicine errors at the home in the months prior to the inspection.” from the report
Training completion
needs fixingMost required training was completed, but some areas were below 80%. Ask the home which training areas were affected and how completion is being improved.
“The homes training record showed that most statutory training was well completed, although some areas were below 80% completion.” from the report
Cleaning records
minorInspectors found minor gaps in cleaning records. The manager was told about these gaps.
“There were some minor gaps in cleaning records which we brought the attention of the registered manager.” from the report
- 01What medicines errors happened before the inspection, and what has changed since the electronic medicines records system was introduced?
- 02How do you now make sure doors to areas containing cleaning materials stay locked?
- 03Which statutory training areas were below 80%, and when will all staff have completed them?
- 04How are cleaning records checked after the gaps identified by inspectors?
- 05How will you show that the care still meets people's individual choices and cultural needs?
This was a focused inspection of Safe and Well-led only; the ratings for Effective, Caring and Responsive were carried forward from the previous comprehensive inspection in 2018. This explanation was written from the published report of 15 February 2024 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, July 2018
Wallace Mews was rated Good overall; inspectors found safe, kind and personalised care, with no serious risks or concerns.
Inspectors carried out a comprehensive inspection over two days in February 2018. The first day was unannounced. They spoke with people living there, relatives and staff, reviewed care and recruitment records, observed care, and checked the building and records.
The home was rated Good in all five areas: safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led. Inspectors found enough staff, safely managed medicines, suitable training, personalised care plans and respectful relationships.
People were supported to make choices, take part in activities and build independence. The home also supported people with health needs, including end of life care, and had systems to deal with complaints and monitor quality.
The rating stayed Good from the previous inspection in December 2015. The report says there was no evidence of serious risks or concerns.
Safe staffing and medicines
Inspectors found enough staff for people's assessed needs. Medicines records were correctly completed and staff were trained and checked as competent.
“During the inspection we reviewed the medicines administration records (MARs) and these were all correctly completed.” from the report
Kind and respectful care
People were treated with dignity and staff understood their individual preferences. Inspectors observed positive and caring interactions.
“People's privacy and dignity was respected by staff.” from the report
Personalised support
Care plans covered people's physical, social, emotional, cultural and religious needs. People and relatives were involved in shaping their care.
“Each care plan we viewed was person centred and they contained detailed instructions for carrying out people's care.” from the report
Promoting independence
The home used a transition programme to help people develop skills and work towards living in their own home.
“This program encouraged independence to allow the person to be confident and capable to live at their own home.” from the report
Strong quality monitoring
The registered manager and provider carried out regular audits. Actions and improvements were recorded.
“There was a robust quality assurance framework in place.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01How would you support my relative's specific health, mobility or communication needs?
- 02How do you help people build independence, and what goals would you set with my relative?
- 03What activities and community opportunities would be available for my relative?
- 04How do you keep families informed about changes in medicines, care needs or health?
- 05Have staffing levels, the registered manager and the quality monitoring arrangements remained the same since the February 2018 inspection?
This was a comprehensive inspection covering all five CQC questions, and the first day was unannounced. This explanation was written from the published report of 28 July 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 Wallace Mews
3 rated inspections over 8 years: the service has held its Good rating throughout.
- February 2024Goodcurrent ratingstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- July 2018Goodstayed GoodSafe: GoodWell-led: Good
- February 2016GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- September 2014
Report published without a new overall rating.
- December 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- December 2012
Report published without a new overall rating.
- April 2012
Report published without a new overall rating.
- November 2010
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 26 November 2010.
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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39 live-in carers within about an hour of South Tyneside
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 £950 to £1,140 a week. 34 can care for a couple. 10 years' experience on average.
“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.