CQC report explained · a nursing home
What the CQC found at Westbank Care Home
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
- Safe?
- Good
- Inspectors found that risks, medicines, infection control, staffing and safeguarding were managed safely. They also found that accidents and incidents were investigated and used to reduce the chance of them happening again.
- Effective?
- Good
- This key question was not rated in this inspection.
- Caring?
- Good
- This key question was not rated in this inspection, although people and relatives spoke positively about the kindness and care of staff.
- Responsive?
- Good
- This key question was not rated in this inspection.
- Well-led?
- Good
- Inspectors found clear leadership, regular audits, staff support and systems for sharing information and learning from incidents. This rating improved from Requires Improvement at the previous inspection.
What inspectors found, January 2023
Rated Good; inspectors found safe, caring support and stronger leadership, with some concerns about food and agency staff knowing residents.
This was an unannounced inspection on 28 November 2022. One inspector and an Expert by Experience spoke with people, relatives and staff, observed care, and checked care, medicines, recruitment and management records.
The home was rated Good overall. Safe and Well-led were both rated Good. Inspectors found enough staff, safe medicines practice, suitable infection control and clear risk assessments. People and relatives said they felt safe and described staff as kind, patient and caring.
Leadership had improved since the previous inspection. Well-led changed from Requires Improvement to Good. Inspectors noted an approachable management team, regular audits and meetings, and systems for learning from incidents. Some people raised concerns about food arriving cold, and some staff said agency workers did not always know residents well.
People felt safe
People and relatives said they felt safe. Inspectors found that risks were assessed and managed, with enough information for staff to provide safe care.
“People and their relatives told us they felt safe living in Westbank Care Home.” from the report
Safe medicines
Medicines were stored securely and records showed they were given accurately. Errors were investigated and lessons were shared.
“Medicines were managed safely in line with national guidance.” from the report
Enough staff
Inspectors found enough staff to meet people's assessed needs. People said call bells were answered quickly.
“There were enough staff deployed to meet peoples' needs.” from the report
Improved leadership
The home had a clear management structure, regular audits and an open approach to feedback. Staff described managers as supportive and approachable.
“The manager had an open-door policy and encouraged staff, people and relatives to share their views.” from the report
Learning from incidents
Accidents and incidents were recorded, investigated and reviewed. The home used measures such as low-rise beds and crash mats to reduce risks.
“Incidents such as falls, were analysed to enable the service to put preventive measures in place.” from the report
Food could arrive cold
needs fixingSome people raised concerns that food was served by room number and could be cold by the time it arrived. Management said it had immediately put plans in place to address this, but the report does not confirm the outcome.
“The one thing I would complain about is the food, they serve it by room number, and I am at the end so when I get it it's cold.” from the report
Agency staff may not know residents well
minorSome people were negative about agency staff. A staff member said agency workers did not always know residents well, which could make care less consistent.
“It's hard because they don't always know the residents very well.” from the report
Feedback was not regular
minorThe latest survey for people and relatives was from 2021, and most people said they had not been asked to complete one. Another survey was due.
“Most people told us they had not been asked to fill out a survey but would be happy to do so if asked.” from the report
Care records were being transferred
minorThe home had introduced a new electronic care planning system, but not all records had yet been transferred. Inspectors found the available care plans and risk assessments were clear and up to date.
“The provider had recently introduced an electronic care planning system, and not all records had been transferred across.” from the report
- 01What changes have been made to stop meals arriving cold, and how do you check that the changes are working?
- 02How do agency staff learn about each resident's needs, routines and risks before providing care?
- 03Have all care plans and risk assessments now been transferred to the electronic system, and how do you check that nothing was missed?
- 04When was the latest survey of residents and relatives completed, and what action was taken about communication?
- 05What were the current ratings for Effective, Caring and Responsive at the last comprehensive inspection?
This was a focused inspection of Safe and Well-led; the report does not give new ratings for Effective, Caring or Responsive. This explanation was written from the published report of 12 January 2023 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, January 2020
Rated Good overall, but inspectors found that leadership and person-centred care needed improvement.
This was an unannounced, comprehensive inspection on 10 December 2019. Two inspectors visited for one day. They spoke with people, relatives and staff, observed care, and checked care, medicine, recruitment and management records.
The home was rated Good for safe, effective, caring and responsive care. People were described as safe and well cared for. Staff were kind, medicines were managed safely, and people received support with food, health needs and activities.
The well-led rating was Requires Improvement. Care records did not always include people's history, likes, dislikes, end of life wishes or what helped when they were distressed. Activities were not always available to people who stayed in their rooms, and more work was needed to support people living with dementia.
The overall rating remained Good, the same as at the previous inspection. Safe care improved from Requires Improvement to Good. Responsive care fell from Outstanding to Good, and well-led care fell from Good to Requires Improvement.
People felt safe
People said they felt safe, and inspectors found suitable systems for safeguarding, risk management, staffing and recruitment.
“We observed sufficient numbers of staff to keep people safe and staffing rotas confirmed this.” from the report
Kind and respectful care
Staff knew people well and inspectors observed friendly, warm and respectful interactions.
“We observed friendly and warm interactions between the staff and people.” from the report
Good health and food support
People were supported with diet, weight monitoring and access to health professionals. The lunchtime experience was described as sociable.
“People were supported to eat and drink a healthy balanced diet to meet their individual needs and preferences.” from the report
Care records were not always personal enough
needs fixingRecords did not always explain people's history, preferences, end of life wishes or how to support them when distressed. This could make it harder for staff to provide consistently personalised care.
“We found that information was not always recorded in areas such as, people's history, likes and dislikes, end of life wishes and how to support people when they became distressed.” from the report
Some people may become isolated
needs fixingActivities were offered, but it was not clear that they were tailored to each person's interests or available to people who spent time in their rooms.
“Further consideration needs to be given to ensure people are not at risk of boredom or isolation when spending long periods of time alone.” from the report
More dementia support was needed
minorThe environment needed further improvement to help people living with dementia stay oriented and independent. Inspectors also said staff needed the right dementia training.
“We recommend the provider seeks guidance to further improve the environment and ensure staff have the right training to support people with dementia fully.” from the report
Responsive care had fallen from Outstanding
minorThe home no longer sustained some of the dementia and community engagement work identified at the previous inspection. Its Responsive rating fell from Outstanding to Good.
“At this inspection we found activities and work around dementia identified in the previous inspection had not been sustained to meet the Outstanding rating at this time.” from the report
- 01How do you now record each person's history, likes, dislikes, end of life wishes and signs of distress?
- 02How do you make sure people who spend time in their rooms receive suitable activities and regular social contact?
- 03What changes have you made to the environment to help people living with dementia find their way around and remain independent?
- 04What dementia training do staff receive, and how do you check that they can use it in practice?
- 05How are activities matched to each person's interests and recorded in their care plan?
This was an unannounced comprehensive inspection covering all five CQC questions; the previous ratings were Good overall, with Safe previously Requires Improvement and Responsive previously Outstanding. This explanation was written from the published report of 15 January 2020 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 Westbank Care Home
6 rated inspections over 8 years: the service has improved, from Requires improvement to Good.
- January 2023Goodcurrent ratingstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- January 2020Goodstayed GoodSafe: GoodWell-led: Requires improvement
- June 2017Goodup from Requires improvementSafe: Requires improvementEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: OutstandingWell-led: Good
- July 2016Requires improvementup from InadequateSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: Requires improvementWell-led: Requires improvement
- March 2016Inadequatedown from Requires improvementSafe: InadequateEffective: InadequateCaring: Requires improvementResponsive: InadequateWell-led: Inadequate
- June 2015Requires improvementSafe: Requires improvementEffective: Requires improvementCaring: Requires improvementResponsive: Requires improvementWell-led: Requires improvement
- April 2014
Report published without a new overall rating.
- November 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- July 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- December 2012
Report published without a new overall rating.
- September 2011
Report published without a new overall rating.
- January 2011
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 18 January 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.
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