CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at Whitehaven Residential Home
Rated Requires improvement: inspectors found the home was not performing as well as it should and told it what to change.
What inspectors found, February 2021
Inspected but not rated; inspectors were assured that infection prevention and control measures were in place.
The inspection took place on 3 February 2021 and was announced. It was a targeted inspection during the coronavirus pandemic, focused on infection prevention and control in the home.
Inspectors found systems to manage visitors safely, use protective equipment, carry out testing and support social distancing. They were also assured that people were admitted safely and that the home could prevent or manage infection outbreaks.
The home had up-to-date infection control policies, staff training and enough protective equipment. The service was inspected but not rated, so this report does not give a Good, Requires improvement or Inadequate rating.
Safe visiting
The home had arrangements to help visitors enter safely and reduce the risk of spreading infection.
“We were assured that the provider was preventing visitors from catching and spreading infections.” from the report
Protective equipment
Inspectors found enough protective equipment and saw that staff used and disposed of it safely.
“The service had enough personal protective equipment (PPE) to meet current and future demand.” from the report
Infection control systems
The home had current infection control policies, staff training, testing and information available to staff.
“There were up to date infection prevention and control (IPC) policies and procedures, backed up by regular newsletters” from the report
Communication and risk checks
The manager communicated regularly with people, staff and families, and risk assessments were completed for staff at higher risk.
“The registered manager was communicating with people, staff and family members regularly to make sure everyone understood procedures and precautions being taken” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01How are visitors currently checked and supported to prevent infection?
- 02How do you make sure there is enough PPE and that staff use and dispose of it safely?
- 03How often are people and staff tested, and what happens if someone tests positive?
- 04What is the current plan for managing an infection outbreak?
- 05How are families kept informed about infection control procedures and changes?
This was an announced targeted inspection of infection prevention and control during the coronavirus pandemic, and the service was inspected but not rated. This explanation was written from the published report of 25 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.
What inspectors found, September 2017
Rated Good; inspectors found safe, kind and well-organised care, with no breaches identified.
Inspectors made an unannounced comprehensive visit on 10 August 2017. They spoke with people living at the home, staff, a visitor and health and social care professionals. They observed care and mealtimes and checked care plans, medicines records, recruitment files, complaints and other management records.
The home was judged Good in all five areas: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. Inspectors found suitable staffing, safe medicines practice, clear risk assessments and staff who understood people's needs. People were treated kindly, involved in their care and offered meals, activities and support that reflected their preferences.
The home had effective checks on care quality, accidents, complaints, medicines and safety. Inspectors noted that a previous recommendation about mental capacity records and applications under the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards had been dealt with. The overall rating remained Good, as it was at the previous inspection in December 2014.
Enough staff
Inspectors found enough staff to meet people's needs and saw that staff had time to provide calm, unhurried support.
“There were sufficient staff deployed to meet the needs of people.” from the report
Kind and respectful care
Staff knew people well, used their preferred names and supported their privacy, dignity, relationships and personal interests.
“Staff were calm, kind and gentle in their interactions with people and people responded well to the support offered to them.” from the report
Personalised activities
People had access to music, arts and crafts, games, reminiscence activities, reflexology and visiting entertainers. Families and local groups were also encouraged to be involved.
“There was a wide range of activities available throughout the week in the home, including music, art and crafts, games, reflexology, reminiscing therapies and external entertainers.” from the report
Good oversight
The manager carried out checks on medicines, care records, infection control, equipment, the environment and fire safety. Actions from these checks were completed.
“The registered manager completed a robust program of audits to ensure the safety and welfare of people.” from the report
Previous issues addressed
The report says earlier recommendations about mental capacity assessments and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards applications had been completed appropriately.
“At this inspection we saw these assessments had been completed and clearly documented.” from the report
Some areas may look cluttered
minorInspectors said a lounge and activities board had a lot of information and pictures which could be confusing. The manager said people had chosen how the information was displayed.
“Some areas of the home, such as a lounge area and activities board, had a large amount of information and pictures on the wall which can appear cluttered and very confusing.” from the report
- 01How would you assess and update my relative's care plan if their health, mobility or behaviour changed?
- 02How many staff are normally on duty during the day and evening, and what happens when someone is absent?
- 03How do you record and review medicines given as required, and how would you respond if a medicine was missed?
- 04How would you support my relative's food preferences, allergies or special dietary needs?
- 05How are families involved in care reviews, activities and decisions about their relative?
This was an unannounced comprehensive inspection covering all five CQC questions and the overall quality of the home. This explanation was written from the published report of 8 September 2017 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 Whitehaven Residential Home
2 rated inspections over 2 years: the service has held its Good rating throughout.
- February 2021Inspected but not ratedcurrent ratingSafe: Inspected but not rated
- September 2017Goodstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- June 2015GoodSafe: GoodEffective: Requires improvementCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- September 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- July 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- February 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- February 2012
Report published without a new overall rating.
- January 2011
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 7 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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26 live-in carers within about an hour of Hampshire
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 £1,260 a week. 23 can care for a couple. 14 years' experience on average.
“I cannot recommend Prisca highly enough, she is one in a million.”
“He stayed with her throughout the pandemic, refusing to visit his own family, who lived nearby, to reduce the risk of infection.”
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.