CQC report explained · a nursing home
What the CQC found at Woodheath Care Home
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
- Safe?
- Requires improvement
- People were generally protected by safeguarding, staffing, recruitment and accident procedures. However, medicine records and storage checks were not always reliable, and some mandatory training was not up to date.
- Effective?
- Good
- This key question was not inspected during this focused inspection. Its previous rating was carried forward into the overall rating.
- Caring?
- Good
- This key question was not inspected during this focused inspection. Its previous rating was carried forward into the overall rating.
- Responsive?
- Good
- This key question was not inspected during this focused inspection. Its previous rating was carried forward into the overall rating.
- Well-led?
- Good
- The manager and staff were supportive and people and relatives gave positive feedback. Audits were completed, but inspectors said they needed to identify improvements more effectively.
What inspectors found, July 2022
Woodheath Care Home was rated Good overall, but Safe Requires Improvement because medicine records and some safety checks were not reliable.
This was an unannounced focused inspection on 28 and 29 June 2022. Inspectors looked only at Safe and Well-led, after concerns about infection prevention and control. They spoke with three people living in the home, two relatives and staff, and reviewed care, medicine, recruitment and management records.
The home had enough staff, safe recruitment checks and systems for safeguarding, accidents and emergencies. People and relatives generally said they felt safe and well cared for. The home was clean, and staff were seen wearing protective equipment appropriately.
Inspectors found problems with medicine stock records and medicine storage checks. Some staff training was out of date, infection control oversight was not strong enough, and some cleaning records were incomplete. The manager took action on some issues during or before the inspection.
The overall rating stayed Good because the other three key question ratings carried over from the previous comprehensive inspection. The Safe rating fell from Good to Requires Improvement. Well-led remained Good.
Enough staff
Inspectors found enough staff on duty to meet people's needs and keep them safe. Recruitment checks had also been completed.
“There were sufficient numbers of safely recruited staff employed to support people.” from the report
Positive care experience
People, relatives and staff gave positive feedback about the care and the management of the home.
“Feedback from people and their relatives regarding the care provided and the management of the service was positive.” from the report
Clean environment and PPE
The home appeared clean and was well maintained. Protective equipment was available and inspectors saw it being worn appropriately.
“Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) was available to all staff and visitors and we observed this to be worn appropriately.” from the report
Safeguarding and accidents
Staff knew how to report safeguarding concerns. Accidents and incidents were reviewed and appropriate action was taken.
“Accidents and incidents were reviewed each month to look for any potential trends and help prevent recurrence.” from the report
Medicine records
seriousMedicine stock balances did not always match the records. One medicine storage area was not checked daily for temperature, so inspectors could not be sure medicines had always been given as prescribed.
“This meant we could not be assured that medicines had been administered as prescribed.” from the report
Staff training
needs fixingNot all staff had completed mandatory refresher training within the provider's timescales. This included infection control and health and safety training.
“Although staff had completed relevant training as part of their induction, not all staff were up to date with training courses considered mandatory for staff to have the knowledge and skills to support people safely.” from the report
Infection control oversight
needs fixingThe home had infection control procedures, but oversight of staff COVID-19 testing was not robust. Some cleaning records were incomplete and did not include frequently touched areas.
“However, there was no system in place to oversee the testing and ensure all staff adhered to current guidance.” from the report
- 01How have you made sure medicine stock balances now match the records every time?
- 02How are medicine storage temperatures checked and recorded each day?
- 03What percentage of staff have now completed infection control and health and safety refresher training?
- 04How do you oversee staff COVID-19 testing and make sure current guidance is followed?
- 05What changes have you made to cleaning schedules and audits since this inspection?
This was a focused inspection of Safe and Well-led only; the Effective, Caring and Responsive ratings from the previous comprehensive inspection were carried forward. This explanation was written from the published report of 20 July 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.
What inspectors found, March 2021
Woodheath Care Home: inspectors were assured about infection control, but the service was inspected and not rated.
The CQC made an announced, targeted inspection visit on 9 March 2021. It looked at how the home was preventing and controlling infections during the coronavirus pandemic.
Inspectors were assured that the home was managing visitors, admissions, personal protective equipment, testing, social distancing and hygiene safely. They also found infection control policies, staff training and plans for managing outbreaks and other disruption.
The home was inspected but not rated overall, and the Safe question was also inspected but not rated. This was not a full assessment of all aspects of care.
Infection prevention
The home had infection control policies, risk assessments and contingency plans for outbreaks and other disruption.
“There was an infection control policy, procedures and risk assessments in place.” from the report
Clean environment
The home was clean and had redesigned areas to support social distancing.
“The home was clean and hygienic throughout. Areas in the home had been redesigned to enable effective social distancing.” from the report
Safe contact with relatives
The home supported supervised visiting and video or telephone calls, while explaining isolation and infection control measures.
“The service helped to alleviate people feeling lonely, by providing access to safe supervised visiting, in accordance with national guidance, and video and telephone calls with friends and loved ones.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01How have your visiting arrangements changed since the inspection?
- 02What testing arrangements are currently in place for residents, staff and visitors?
- 03How do you support residents who need to isolate, and how do you reduce loneliness during isolation?
- 04When was your infection prevention and control policy last updated?
- 05What plans are in place if there is an infection outbreak or other service disruption?
This was a targeted inspection of infection prevention and control under the Safe question; the service was inspected but not rated and the other questions were not assessed. This explanation was written from the published report of 19 March 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 Woodheath Care Home
5 rated inspections over 7 years: the service has improved, from Requires improvement to Good.
- July 2022Goodcurrent ratingSafe: Requires improvementEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- March 2021Inspected but not ratedSafe: Inspected but not rated
- April 2020Goodstayed GoodSafe: GoodWell-led: Good
- September 2017Goodup from Requires improvementSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- April 2016Requires improvementstayed Requires improvementSafe: Requires improvementWell-led: Requires improvement
- January 2016
Report published without a new overall rating.
- July 2015Requires improvementSafe: GoodEffective: Requires improvementCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Requires improvement
- August 2014
Report published without a new overall rating.
- January 2014
Report published without a new overall rating.
- October 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- May 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- March 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- December 2012
Report published without a new overall rating.
- December 2011
Report published without a new overall rating.
- October 2011
Report published without a new overall rating.
- January 2011
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 24 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
Fees, photos and reviews from families
How to read CQC ratings and reports
What to check when you visit
40 live-in carers within about an hour of Wirral
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 £1,230 a week. 37 can care for a couple. 8 years' experience on average.
“It was clear that she genuinely cared and her warm approach really helped put our minds at ease.”
“He developed a close affinity with Terence, spending time talking with him before he retired to bed and looking after his needs during the night.”
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.