CQC report explained · a nursing home
What the CQC found at Westlake
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
- Safe?
- Good
- Inspectors found suitable safeguarding arrangements, risk assessments, fire checks, equipment checks and medicines systems. People and staff said there were enough staff, and recruitment checks had been completed.
- Effective?
- Good
- Staff assessed people's needs before admission and used care plans to guide support. Inspectors found suitable staff training, healthcare support, consent processes and arrangements for food, drink and specialist diets.
- Caring?
- Good
- People said staff were kind and respectful. Inspectors saw people being offered choices, supported to remain independent and treated with dignity.
- Responsive?
- Good
- Care plans reflected people's needs, preferences, interests and communication requirements. The home offered varied activities, welcomed visitors and had arrangements for complaints and end of life care.
- Well-led?
- Good
- Inspectors found quality checks covering areas such as health and safety, infection control and medicines. People, relatives and staff spoke positively about how the home was run, and staff described good teamwork and communication.
What inspectors found, July 2019
Westlake was rated Good in all five areas; inspectors found safe, kind and personalised care.
This was an unannounced inspection on 11 June 2019. One inspector and an expert by experience spoke with people, visitors and staff. They observed care and reviewed care plans, staff files, training records, medicines information and quality checks.
All five areas were rated Good: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. People said they felt safe, treated with kindness and supported by enough staff. Inspectors saw friendly relationships and care that met people's needs and preferences.
The home provided nursing and residential care for up to 63 people, including people living with dementia and diabetes. Inspectors found good support with medicines, healthcare, food and drink, activities, communication and end of life care.
The previous inspection, published on 20 December 2016, also rated the home Good. This was a scheduled inspection based on that rating. CQC said it would continue monitoring information received and inspect again under its schedule for services rated Good.
People felt safe and cared for
People said they felt safe and comfortable. Inspectors observed friendly relationships and kind, respectful care.
“People were happy with the care they received, felt relaxed with staff and told us they were treated with kindness.” from the report
Personalised support
Care plans included people's needs, preferences, interests, religious beliefs and personal histories. Staff were able to describe how they supported people as individuals.
“Detailed individual person-centred care plans had been developed, enabling staff to support people in a personalised way that was specific to their needs and preferences” from the report
Good activities and choice
People could choose how to spend their time and took part in a wide range of activities, including trips, exercise, music and creative activities.
“We saw a varied range of activities on offer which included, music, arts and crafts, exercise, trips out to the local community and visits from external entertainers.” from the report
Reliable medicines and safety checks
Medicines records were accurate, medicines were stored safely and audits were used to check the system. Risks, equipment and fire safety were also monitored.
“Regular auditing of medicine procedures had taken place, including checks on accurately recording administered medicines as well as temperature checks.” from the report
Strong teamwork and oversight
The provider used audits and feedback to monitor quality. Staff described good communication, thorough handovers and support from colleagues.
“The service had a strong emphasis on team work and communication sharing.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01What is the current progress of the manager's registration with the Care Quality Commission?
- 02How do you check staffing levels when people's needs change or staff are absent?
- 03How will you make sure my relative's communication needs and personal preferences are recorded and followed?
- 04How would you support my relative's specific dietary, healthcare or mobility needs?
- 05How can my relative or family raise a complaint, and how will we be kept informed of the outcome?
This was an unannounced inspection covering all five CQC questions, and the premises and care provided were both looked at. This explanation was written from the published report of 9 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.
What inspectors found, December 2016
Westlake was rated Good; inspectors found safe, kind and well-organised care across all five areas.
The inspection was unannounced and took place on 29 November 2016. Two inspectors and an expert-by-experience visited. They spoke with people, relatives, staff and health professionals, observed care and meals, and checked records including care plans, medicines, staffing and complaints.
The inspectors found that people felt safe and were protected from abuse. There were enough staff, medicines were managed safely, and risks were assessed. People received suitable food, healthcare and support from trained staff. Staff were kind, respectful and supported people's privacy, choices and independence.
Care plans recorded people's needs and preferences. People could join activities, keep relationships and raise complaints. The home had a calm atmosphere, approachable managers and regular checks on quality. All five areas were rated Good. The previous inspection in 2013 had identified no concerns.
People felt safe
People said they felt safe, and staff knew how to recognise and report abuse. The home also had processes for responding to accidents and incidents.
“People were protected from the risk of abuse because staff understood how to identify and report it.” from the report
Safe staffing
Inspectors found enough skilled and experienced staff. Recruitment checks had been completed, and agency staff were used with continuity in mind.
“Staff had been recruited through an effective recruitment process that ensured they were safe to work with people.” from the report
Kind and respectful care
Staff were observed to be warm, patient and attentive. They supported privacy, dignity and independence.
“Staff were patient and polite, supported people to maintain their dignity and were respectful of their right to privacy.” from the report
Personalised support
Care plans included people's likes, dislikes, routines and communication needs. Staff showed good knowledge of the people they supported.
“Care plans contained detailed information on the person's likes, dislikes and daily routine with clear guidance for staff on how best to support that individual.” from the report
Activities and relationships
People were offered a range of activities and could maintain relationships with important people. Inspectors saw people enjoying an arts and crafts activity.
“People were supported to take part in activities and were supported to maintain relationships with people important to them.” from the report
Quality oversight
Managers carried out checks on areas such as medicines, care planning and infection control. They used the results to identify trends and plan improvements.
“The provider undertook quality assurance audits to ensure a good level of quality was maintained.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01Who is currently managing the home, and how are management responsibilities covered when the registered manager is absent?
- 02Has the refurbishment work mentioned in the report been completed, and how was disruption to people managed?
- 03How many permanent and agency staff are currently used, and how do you maintain continuity for residents?
- 04How are residents and relatives involved in creating and reviewing care plans now?
- 05What activities are currently available, and how are they adapted for people living with dementia or people with health needs?
This was an unannounced inspection of the overall service, including all five CQC questions, based on observations, interviews and records reviewed. This explanation was written from the published report of 20 December 2016 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 Westlake
2 rated inspections over 3 years: the service has held its Good rating throughout.
- July 2019Goodcurrent ratingstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- December 2016GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- October 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- May 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- February 2011
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 15 February 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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28 live-in carers within about an hour of West Sussex
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 £1,020 to £1,170 a week. 23 can care for a couple. 11 years' experience on average.
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