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CQC report explained · a residential care home

What the CQC found at Pound Farm

Goodpublished 20 July 2019, 7 years ago

Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.

The five questions inspectors ask
Safe?
Good
Inspectors found suitable safeguarding, risk management, staffing and medicines arrangements. Staff understood people's risks, and checks showed medicines were given as prescribed.
Effective?
Good
Care plans were based on people's needs and choices. Staff had relevant training, supported people's health and nutrition, and followed the Mental Capacity Act and related safeguards.
Caring?
Good
People had positive relationships with staff and were treated with dignity and respect. Staff supported people to communicate, make choices and maintain important relationships.
Responsive?
Good
Care plans were personalised and regularly updated. People were supported with communication, activities, friendships, religious practice and complaints.
Well-led?
Good
Inspectors found approachable leadership, supportive staff teamwork and regular checks on care quality. People and staff were asked for their views and suggestions.
The latest report, explained

What inspectors found, July 2019

Walsingham Support - Pound Farm was rated Good, with kind, person-centred care and no breaches reported.

The inspection took place on 25 and 28 June 2019. One inspector spoke with five people, seven staff members and two relatives. They also checked care plans, medicines records, staff files and management records.

The home supported 15 people with learning disabilities in five flats. Inspectors found that people were safe, treated with kindness and involved in decisions about their care. Staff supported people to build skills, stay independent and take part in activities they chose.

All five areas were rated Good: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. The home had also been rated Good at the previous inspection in May 2016. This was the first inspection under a new provider.

What inspectors praised
  • Choice and independence

    People were supported to make choices, gain skills and become more independent. Staff used the least restrictive approach and involved people in decisions about their lives.

    “People's support focused on them having as many opportunities as possible for them to gain new skills and become more independent.” from the report
  • Safe staffing and medicines

    Inspectors found enough staff when people wanted or needed support. Medicines were given by trained staff, with regular checks.

    “There were enough staff to care for people at times people wanted and needed support.” from the report
  • Kind relationships

    People and relatives spoke positively about staff. Inspectors saw warm relationships and staff giving reassurance in ways people preferred.

    “We could see from people's body language they had developed positive affectionate relationships with staff.” from the report
  • Strong involvement

    People helped shape their care, activities, meals and environment. Staff also supported people to keep friendships, attend worship and take part in chosen activities.

    “People were at the centre of care planning and were involved in the process.” from the report
  • Active management

    The manager was described as approachable and supportive. Regular audits, meetings and feedback were used to look for improvements.

    “The registered manager audited the quality of the care provided and this assisted them in continuing to develop the service.” from the report
What inspectors were concerned about
  • The home is larger than current guidance

    minor

    The home was larger than current best practice guidance for this type of setting. Inspectors said the design and staff approach helped reduce the possible negative effect, but families may want to see how this works in daily life.

    “This is larger than current best practice guidance.” from the report
  • End-of-life plans were still developing

    minor

    The home was not providing end-of-life care during the inspection. Plans for people's wishes at the end of life were still being developed.

    “Plans setting out people's wishes at the end of their lives were being further developed, so people's preferences would be met.” from the report
Questions to ask them, based on this report
  1. 01How does the home's size affect daily life, privacy, noise and personal choice for residents?
  2. 02How are end-of-life wishes recorded and kept up to date for each person?
  3. 03How will you support my relative to manage or self-administer medicines if they are able to do so?
  4. 04How often are care plans and activity plans reviewed, and how are changes in preferences acted on?
  5. 05What staffing levels are in place at the times my relative is most likely to need support?

This was a planned inspection covering all five CQC questions at the care home and people's personal care and support in the linked supported living service; the supported living buildings themselves were not inspected. This explanation was written from the published report of 20 July 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.

The story over the years

Every inspection of Pound Farm

Each visit the CQC has published, newest first, back to the day the home was registered.

  1. July 2019Goodcurrent rating
    Safe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good

    Read what inspectors found at Pound Farm →

  2. February 2019

    Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 13 February 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.

Next steps

Weigh the report against the rest

Care at home

11 live-in carers within about an hour of Herefordshire, County of

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 £960 to £1,410 a week. 10 can care for a couple. 8 years' experience on average.

“She was very caring, kind and patient to all his needs, she built up a wondetful rapport with him, she was dedicated and was there for him through good times as well as through the tough times”
Katrina O., about Sekai M.
See live-in carers near Herefordshire, County ofProfiles, rates and reviews are free to look at.

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.