CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at Whitby Dene
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
- Safe?
- Good
- People were protected from abuse and avoidable harm. Staffing, risk assessments, infection control and medicines systems were generally suitable, but some medicines records needed improvement and were corrected during the inspection.
- Effective?
- Good
- People's needs were assessed and reviewed, and staff had training and support. People had enough to eat and drink and received timely support from health professionals.
- Caring?
- Good
- Staff knew people well and treated them with kindness, dignity and respect. People were offered choices and supported to remain as independent as possible.
- Responsive?
- Good
- Care was personalised and reflected people's needs, communication methods and preferences. People could join activities, go on outings and maintain relationships, although this rating fell from Outstanding at the previous inspection.
- Well-led?
- Good
- The home had a stable and approachable management team. Audits, meetings, complaints systems and feedback were used to monitor and improve the service.
What inspectors found, May 2023
Rated Good; inspectors found kind, safe and personalised care, but some medicines records were not detailed enough.
Inspectors made an unannounced visit on 9 May 2023. They spoke with people living at the home, relatives, staff and a visiting professional. They observed care and checked care plans, staff records, medicines and quality checks.
The home was rated Good overall and received Good ratings for Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. People were described as well cared for, with their needs met and choices respected.
People received their medicines as prescribed, but some medicines records lacked important detail. The registered manager took immediate action during the inspection and sent evidence that the issues had been corrected.
The previous overall rating was Good, published in 2017. Responsive changed from Outstanding at the previous inspection to Good at this inspection. The report says people's needs were still met through good organisation and delivery.
Kind relationships
Staff knew people well, understood their communication and responded kindly when people were upset or confused.
“People were well treated and supported. They had good relationships with the staff and liked them.” from the report
Enough permanent staff
Inspectors found enough staff to meet people's needs. The home did not use agency staff, and extra staff supported community activities.
“There were enough staff to keep people safe and meet their needs. The provider did not use agency (temporary) staff and all shifts were covered by their own permanent employees.” from the report
Personalised care
Care plans reflected people's needs and preferences and were reviewed regularly. People and their representatives were involved in decisions about care.
“People received personalised care which met their needs and reflected their preferences.” from the report
Activities and relationships
People could take part in outings, groups, creative activities, celebrations and individual trips. Visitors were welcomed and staff supported contact with loved ones.
“People were supported to take part in a range of different social activities and events.” from the report
Good leadership
Inspectors found an open culture, an approachable management team and systems for checking quality and learning from complaints and incidents.
“There were effective systems for monitoring and improving the quality of the service.” from the report
Medicines records
needs fixingSome medicines care plans were not person-centred enough, including missing information about when palliative medicines should start. One person's medicine allergies were also not recorded as required. The manager corrected these issues during the inspection.
“We found some records relating to medicines management were not detailed enough. However, the provider took immediate action to rectify this.” from the report
- 01What checks are now in place to make sure every person's medicine allergies are recorded correctly?
- 02How are care plans kept up to date for palliative and other medicines that may be needed at short notice?
- 03What evidence can you show that the medicines-record improvements have been sustained since the inspection?
- 04How will you make sure activities and outings continue to reflect each person's individual wishes and interests?
This was an unannounced inspection covering all five CQC questions, including the care provided, the premises, infection control and medicines management. This explanation was written from the published report of 27 May 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 2022
Whitby Dene was inspected but not rated; inspectors were assured about infection control, visiting arrangements and COVID-19 safety measures.
This was an announced, targeted inspection on 18 January 2022. Inspectors looked mainly at infection prevention and control, visiting arrangements and whether COVID-19 staffing pressures affected safety.
Inspectors found suitable measures for visitors, admissions, testing, isolation, cleaning and the use of protective equipment. They were also assured that the home was facilitating visits in line with current guidance.
The home had enough protective equipment, staff had relevant training, and vaccination and testing arrangements were in place. The inspection did not give an overall quality rating.
Infection control
The home had procedures to reduce infection risks for visitors and people living there. Extra cleaning and checks were used where social distancing was difficult.
“There were suitable procedures for reducing the risks of infection from visitors.” from the report
Protective equipment and training
There was enough protective equipment for staff, visitors and residents. Staff had been trained to use and dispose of it safely.
“There was enough PPE for staff, visitors and people living at the service (if they wanted this).” from the report
Testing and safe admissions
The home used testing and isolation when people first moved in or returned from hospital. It also involved a multidisciplinary team when people could not make relevant decisions themselves.
“There were systems to help make sure people were safely admitted to the service, when they first moved there and following a hospital stay.” from the report
Cleaning and outbreak planning
The building layout, cleaning schedules and laundry arrangements supported infection control. The home had additional plans and equipment for possible outbreaks.
“There were clear and detailed cleaning schedules and checks on cleanliness and infection prevention and control.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01What infection control and visiting arrangements are in place now, and how do they compare with those inspected in January 2022?
- 02How are new residents and people returning from hospital tested and supported during any isolation period?
- 03How do you manage staffing pressures when staff are absent because of COVID-19?
- 04How often are cleaning schedules, infection control procedures and outbreak plans checked?
- 05What are the current arrangements for testing, PPE and COVID-19 vaccinations for staff and visitors?
This was a targeted inspection of infection prevention and control, visiting arrangements and COVID-19-related staffing pressures; it did not provide an overall quality rating. This explanation was written from the published report of 21 January 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 Dene
4 rated inspections over 8 years: the service has improved, from Requires improvement to Good.
- May 2023Goodcurrent ratingSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- January 2022Inspected but not ratedSafe: Inspected but not rated
- December 2017Goodstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: OutstandingWell-led: Good
- October 2015Goodup from Requires improvementSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- March 2015Requires improvementSafe: Requires improvementEffective: Requires improvementCaring: Requires improvementResponsive: GoodWell-led: Requires improvement
- November 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- February 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- November 2012
Report published without a new overall rating.
- January 2012
Report published without a new overall rating.
- January 2011
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 11 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.
Weigh the report against the rest
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What to check when you visit
At least 100 live-in carers within about an hour of Hillingdon
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 £1,320 a week. 81 can care for a couple. 11 years' experience on average.
“I can truly say that Peter always put Dad at the centre of everything and I know that they found a great friendship in difficult times.”
“She has an unusual combination of kindness and firmness, is quite unflappable, physically strong, extremely savvy”
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.