CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at Wisteria Lodge
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
- Safe?
- Good
- Risks such as road safety, minibus travel and choking were assessed and managed. Inspectors found enough suitable staff and accurate medicines records.
- Effective?
- Good
- Staff had relevant training and support. People received suitable food, health care and support under the Mental Capacity Act and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards.
- Caring?
- Good
- Staff were observed to be kind, respectful and patient. Care plans included people's preferences and were available in written and pictorial formats.
- Responsive?
- Good
- Care was reviewed and changed when people's needs changed. People were supported with activities, hobbies, outings and complaints.
- Well-led?
- Good
- The manager was knowledgeable about the people living at the home. Staff, people and relatives were involved in discussing the service, and quality checks were used to address shortfalls.
What inspectors found, October 2017
Wisteria Lodge was rated Good; inspectors found safe, kind and personalised care across all five areas.
The inspection was unannounced and took place on 15 September 2017. One inspector observed care, spoke with a person, a relative, staff, the manager and the provider, and reviewed care, medicines, recruitment, training and quality records.
The home was supporting four people. Inspectors found that people were kept safe, had enough suitably trained staff, received their medicines correctly and had their health, nutrition and hydration needs supported.
Staff treated people with kindness and respect. Care was personalised, people were supported with communication aids and activities, and relatives and residents could give feedback or make complaints. The home had an open atmosphere and systems to monitor quality.
All five areas were rated Good: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. The home had also been rated Good at the previous inspection, so this rating remained unchanged.
Communication support
Most people could not communicate verbally, but staff used signing, pictorial information and body language to understand their needs and wishes.
“we observed staff supporting people with a range of communication aids, which included signing and interpreting people's body language” from the report
Safety and medicines
Individual risks were assessed and managed. Inspectors found that medicines were given as prescribed, stored correctly and accurately recorded.
“Medicine administration records (MAR) sheets were completed accurately and were audited regularly by the registered manager.” from the report
Kind and dignified care
Staff were seen treating people respectfully and taking time to communicate. People's privacy, dignity and personal choices were considered.
“We observed staff to be kind to people and to take their time when communicating with people” from the report
Personalised care
Care plans described people's likes, dislikes and life histories. They used written and pictorial information to help people understand their care.
“The care plans were produced in both a written and pictorial format” from the report
Open management
People, relatives and staff were invited to give feedback. The home had quality checks and acted when it found shortfalls.
“There were systems in place to monitor the overall quality and safety of the service.” from the report
Limited activities on the inspection day
minorInspectors saw limited activities taking place during their visit. The home provided evidence of recent outings and said people were offered a choice of activities each day.
“On the day of our inspection there were limited activities taking place” from the report
- 01What activities are usually available each day, and how will you make sure they match my relative's interests?
- 02How will staff communicate with my relative if they cannot communicate verbally?
- 03How are my relative's individual risks, including any choking or road safety risks, assessed and reviewed?
- 04How will my relative and our family be involved in decisions about care and best interests?
- 05How can we give feedback or make a complaint, and how will you show us what action was taken?
This was an unannounced inspection covering all five CQC questions; all five Good ratings remained unchanged from the previous inspection. This explanation was written from the published report of 10 October 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 Wisteria Lodge
2 rated inspections over 2 years: the service has held its Good rating throughout.
- October 2017Goodcurrent ratingstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- September 2015GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- September 2014
Report published without a new overall rating.
- July 2014
Report published without a new overall rating.
- August 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- August 2012
Report published without a new overall rating.
- January 2011
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 17 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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At least 100 live-in carers within about an hour of Hertfordshire
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 £1,300 a week. 82 can care for a couple. 12 years' experience on average.
“She handled the new situation in front of her with such professionalism and I felt I could trust her 100%.”
“She was v competent and confident and we felt our mum was safe in her care. She supported us through a difficult time.”
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.