CQC report explained · a nursing home
What the CQC found at Whitby Court Care Home
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
- Safe?
- Good
- Inspectors found up-to-date risk assessments, safe recruitment, suitable staffing levels and safe medicines arrangements. Infection prevention and control measures were also found to be effective.
- Effective?
- Good
- People were involved in their care planning and staff supported choice, independence and access to healthcare. Staff had appropriate induction, training and ongoing support.
- Caring?
- Good
- This key question was not inspected during this visit. The report describes staff as respectful and caring, but no rating was given here.
- Responsive?
- Good
- This key question was not inspected during this visit. The report describes personalised care and recorded preferences, but no rating was given here.
- Well-led?
- Good
- Inspectors found effective audits, oversight and management systems. People and relatives were positive about the service, although relatives' meetings were reported to be infrequent.
What inspectors found, July 2023
Whitby Court Care Home rated Good; inspectors found safe, caring support and effective management, with relatives' meetings reported as infrequent.
This was an unannounced inspection on 24 May 2023 and 14 June 2023. It was prompted partly by a reported incident after which a person died, with concerns about risk records and medicines. Inspectors found no evidence that people were at risk of harm from these concerns.
Inspectors spoke with three people and six staff. They reviewed four care records, four staff files and management records. They also observed how medicines were given and recorded, and checked infection prevention arrangements.
The home was rated Good overall and Good for Safe, Effective and Well-led. The report says the service had enough staff, suitable recruitment checks, up-to-date risk information, safe medicines processes and staff who treated people with dignity. The Effective and Well-led ratings remained Good from the previous inspection.
This was not a full assessment of all five areas. Caring and Responsive were not inspected in this visit, so their previous ratings were used when calculating the overall rating.
Up-to-date risk information
Risk assessments were reviewed and included information for staff about how to keep people safe. Accident and incident reviews were used to make changes where needed.
“Risk assessments recorded up to date information to explain the risks for people and the actions for staff to take to reduce these.” from the report
Safe medicines support
Trained staff supported people to take medicines as prescribed. The home had guidance for creams and medicines taken when needed, and checked staff practice.
“Where assessed, people received support from suitably trained and competent staff to take their medicines as prescribed.” from the report
Choice and independence
People were involved in planning their care and staff supported them to make choices and remain as independent as possible.
“People were involved in planning and reviewing their care and support.” from the report
Good staff support
New staff received induction and probation reviews. Existing staff received supervision, training and support to carry out their roles.
“Staff received appropriate ongoing support, supervision, and training.” from the report
Strong management checks
The home had audits and checks to monitor quality, identify improvements and keep records and risks under review.
“Quality assurance arrangements to help govern the home were effectively applied with outcomes used to maintain, and where required, improve standards.” from the report
Infrequent relatives' meetings
minorRelatives' meetings did not happen often. Relatives were confident that suggestions would be considered, but families may want to ask how regular involvement is arranged.
“They told us relatives' meetings were infrequent, but were confident any suggestions would be reviewed and, where possible, implemented.” from the report
- 01What actions were taken after the incident that prompted this inspection, and how are risks now monitored?
- 02How will you keep our relative's medicines records accurate, including medicines given when needed?
- 03How often are relatives' meetings now held, and how can families raise suggestions between meetings?
- 04What are the current ratings or findings for Caring and Responsive, which were not inspected during this visit?
- 05How will you involve our relative and family in reviewing the care plan and recording personal preferences?
This was an unannounced focused inspection of Safe, Effective and Well-led; 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 14 July 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, April 2022
Rated Good; inspectors found safe care and stronger management after earlier concerns about risks, infection control and oversight.
This was an unannounced focused inspection. An inspector visited on 15 March 2022, spoke with people, relatives and staff, observed care, and checked records including medicines, recruitment, safety and quality monitoring.
The home was rated Good for Safe and Well-led. Inspectors found enough staff, safe recruitment, appropriate risk assessments, safe medicines systems and effective infection control. People said they felt safe, and relatives were happy with the support.
The home had previously been rated Requires Improvement, with breaches of regulations. Inspectors found that improvements had been made and the home was no longer in breach. The overall rating changed to Good.
This inspection only assessed Safe and Well-led. The ratings for the other key questions were carried forward from the previous inspection.
Staffing
Inspectors found enough staff on duty and saw call bells answered promptly. Recruitment checks were being followed.
“There was enough staff on duty to support people.” from the report
Medicines
Medicines were stored, given and recorded appropriately. Audits were used to check that the medicines policy was followed.
“Medicines were stored, administered and recorded appropriately.” from the report
Infection control
The home had improved its infection prevention arrangements and inspectors were assured that it could prevent and manage outbreaks.
“We were assured that the provider was making sure infection outbreaks can be effectively prevented or managed.” from the report
Management
Quality monitoring had been strengthened, with greater involvement from senior management and regular feedback from people, relatives and staff.
“Governance systems used to monitor the quality of the service had been further developed and were effective.” from the report
People felt safe
People told inspectors they felt safe, and staff had safeguarding training and knew how to raise concerns.
“People told us they felt safe living at the service.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01How do you continue to review and update each person's risk assessments and management plans?
- 02How do you check that infection prevention measures, PPE and outbreak arrangements remain effective?
- 03How do you monitor medicines audits and deal with any errors or missed doses?
- 04What feedback have you received recently from residents, relatives and staff, and what changes have you made as a result?
- 05How has senior management oversight been maintained since this inspection?
This was an unannounced focused inspection of Safe and Well-led only; the other key question ratings were carried forward from the previous inspection. This explanation was written from the published report of 21 April 2022 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 Whitby Court Care Home
7 rated inspections over 8 years: the service has held its Good rating throughout.
- July 2023Goodcurrent ratingstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- April 2022Goodup from Requires improvementSafe: GoodWell-led: Good
- March 2021Requires improvementdown from GoodSafe: Requires improvementWell-led: Requires improvement
- April 2019Goodstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodWell-led: Good
- December 2016Goodup from Requires improvementSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- September 2016Requires improvementdown from GoodSafe: Requires improvementEffective: Requires improvementCaring: Requires improvementResponsive: Requires improvementWell-led: Requires improvement
- April 2015GoodSafe: Requires improvementEffective: Requires improvementCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- February 2014
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 18 February 2014.
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 North Yorkshire
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 £1,010 to £1,290 a week. 27 can care for a couple. 12 years' experience on average.
“Carla has been a god send with the implementation of bringing mum back home from respite care.”
“She was always 'just present enough': attentive, available, kind and engaging, but without ever over-stepping any boundary”
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.