CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at Westlands Care Home
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
- Safe?
- Good
- People said they felt safe. Inspectors found enough staff, safe recruitment checks, regular risk reviews, safe medicines management and suitable infection control.
- Effective?
- Good
- Staff had the training and skills needed to provide care. People were supported with meals, drinks, healthcare and decisions about their care.
- Caring?
- Good
- This question was not inspected during this focused visit. The previous rating was used when calculating the overall rating.
- Responsive?
- Good
- This question was not inspected during this focused visit. The previous rating was used when calculating the overall rating.
- Well-led?
- Requires improvement
- The home had a positive and open culture, but its checks did not always identify and resolve problems. Some recruitment and care records had gaps, and feedback meetings were too infrequent.
What inspectors found, January 2024
Rated Good overall; inspectors found safe and effective care, but the home was Requires Improvement for being well-led.
This was an unannounced focused inspection on 6 and 8 November 2023. One inspector and an Expert by Experience spoke with people, relatives, a visitor and staff. They also checked care plans, medicine records, recruitment files and management records.
People told inspectors they felt safe and received kind care. There were enough staff, medicines were given safely, infection control was followed and staff had suitable training. People were supported with food, drink, healthcare and their own decisions.
The overall rating was Good. Safe and Effective were rated Good. Well-led was rated Requires Improvement because checks and records did not always identify and fix problems, and people and relatives did not have enough regular opportunities to give feedback.
People felt safe
People told inspectors they felt safe and well looked after. Staff understood how to recognise and report safeguarding concerns.
“People told us they felt safe.” from the report
Safe staffing and medicines
Inspectors found enough staff to meet people's needs. Medicines were ordered, stored and given safely, and staff had been assessed as competent.
“There were enough staff on shift to meet people's care and support needs.” from the report
Skilled staff
Staff received induction and ongoing training. The provider also supported some staff to work towards a recognised health and social care qualification.
“The provider made sure staff had the skills, knowledge and experience to deliver effective care and support.” from the report
Support with health and choices
Staff contacted healthcare professionals when people became unwell. People were supported to make their own decisions and care was provided in line with the Mental Capacity Act.
“Staff responded by contacting healthcare professionals when they noticed a deterioration in people's health or wellbeing.” from the report
Open management culture
People spoke positively about their care. Staff said they felt respected, valued and supported by managers.
“There was a positive and open culture at the service.” from the report
Management checks and records
needs fixingThe home's quality checks did not always find or resolve problems. Inspectors found missing information in some staff recruitment files and conflicting information in some care records.
“These systems required further development to ensure areas for improvement are identified and actioned accordingly.” from the report
Memory-friendly surroundings
needs fixingThe environment needed improvement for people living with memory or cognitive impairments. Bedroom doors did not have personalised signs and some clocks showed the wrong time.
“We also found several clocks in people's rooms to be displaying the incorrect time of the day.” from the report
- 01What changes have you made to quality checks so missing recruitment information and conflicting care records are found and corrected?
- 02How do you make bedrooms and communal areas easier for people with memory or cognitive impairments to recognise and navigate?
- 03How often can residents and relatives now give feedback, and how do you show that suggestions lead to action?
- 04Have all staff recruitment records and DBS checks been reviewed and updated since the inspection?
- 05What action has been taken to make sure clocks and other orientation aids show the correct information?
This was a focused inspection of Safe, Effective and Well-led only; Caring and Responsive were not inspected and their previous ratings were used for the overall rating. This explanation was written from the published report of 18 January 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, February 2021
Westlands Care Home was inspected but not rated; inspectors found good infection control arrangements during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Inspectors visited on 04 February 2021. This was an announced, targeted inspection focused on infection prevention and control during the coronavirus pandemic.
They found staff used the correct protective equipment, cleaning of frequently touched surfaces had increased, and people and staff were regularly tested for COVID-19.
The home supported contact with families through telephones and video calls. It also had a separate visitors' area and followed guidance for safe admissions, shielding and social distancing.
The service was inspected but not rated. This report gives an assurance finding about infection control, rather than a rating of the home's overall quality.
Keeping in touch
People were supported to stay in contact with family and friends through telephones and video calls. A separate visitors' area was available for visits when safe.
“People were supported to maintain contact with family members and friends using telephones and video calling.” from the report
Protective equipment
Staff were seen wearing the correct protective equipment, and it was available throughout the home.
“Staff were observed to wear the correct Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) in line with government guidance.” from the report
Cleaning
Cleaning schedules had been increased, including for frequently touched surfaces such as door handles.
“Cleaning schedules had been increased to ensure high touch surfaces such as door handles were cleaned regularly.” from the report
Testing and admissions
People and staff were regularly tested for COVID-19, and new admissions followed government guidance.
“People and staff were regularly tested for COVID-19.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01How have your infection prevention and control arrangements changed since the inspection on 04 February 2021?
- 02How do you currently support visits from family and friends, and is the separate visitors' area still used?
- 03How often are people and staff tested for COVID-19 or other infections now?
- 04How do you check that staff use protective equipment correctly and that supplies are available?
- 05How often are frequently touched surfaces cleaned, and how do you record these checks?
This was a targeted inspection of infection prevention and control measures only; the service was inspected but not rated overall and the other questions were not assessed. This explanation was written from the published report of 19 February 2021 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 Westlands Care Home
6 rated inspections over 9 years: the service has improved, from Requires improvement to Good.
- January 2024Goodcurrent ratingSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Requires improvement
- February 2021Inspected but not ratedSafe: Inspected but not rated
- December 2019Goodstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodWell-led: Good
- June 2017Goodup from Requires improvementSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- May 2016Requires improvementstayed Requires improvementSafe: Requires improvementEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: Requires improvementWell-led: Good
- November 2015Requires improvementstayed Requires improvementSafe: GoodEffective: Requires improvementResponsive: GoodWell-led: Requires improvement
- April 2015Requires improvementSafe: Requires improvementEffective: Requires improvementCaring: GoodResponsive: Requires improvementWell-led: Requires improvement
- April 2014
Report published without a new overall rating.
- July 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- November 2012
Report published without a new overall rating.
- August 2012
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 21 August 2012.
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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89 live-in carers within about an hour of North Northamptonshire
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. 76 can care for a couple. 12 years' experience on average.
“If you bump into her in the night on her way to the bathroom she will still inquire how you are and if everything is alright.”
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.