CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at Wrekin Cottage - Telford (West Midlands)
Rated Requires improvement: inspectors found the home was not performing as well as it should and told it what to change.
- Safe?
- Requires improvement
- Inspectors found improvements in risk assessments, repairs, fire safety and infection control. The provider was no longer in breach of Regulation 12, but the full Safe question was not assessed.
- Effective?
- Good
- This question was not assessed during the targeted inspection.
- Caring?
- Requires improvement
- This question was not assessed during the targeted inspection.
- Responsive?
- Good
- This question was not assessed during the targeted inspection.
- Well-led?
- Requires improvement
- The provider had improved its systems for monitoring quality and following up actions. The provider was no longer in breach of Regulation 17, but the full Well-led question was not assessed.
What inspectors found, June 2021
Wrekin Cottage - Telford: inspected but not rated; inspectors found improvements in safety, infection control and management, but the overall rating remains Requires Improvement.
This was an unannounced targeted inspection on 28 May 2021. The inspector checked whether earlier warning notices about safe care and treatment, and governance, had been met. Infection control arrangements were also reviewed.
Inspectors found that risks had been reviewed, repairs had been completed and infection control procedures had improved. They said the provider was no longer in breach of Regulations 12 and 17.
This inspection did not assess the whole service. The Safe and Well-led questions were inspected but not rated, and the other key questions were not assessed. The previous overall rating of Requires Improvement therefore remained unchanged.
Safety repairs
Inspectors found that repairs and safety work had been completed, including work to a stair banister and the fire prevention system.
“The provider had acted to rectify the compromised fire prevention system.” from the report
Infection control
Infection control procedures had been revised and were being followed. Staff understood the COVID-19 guidance and arrangements for visiting professionals.
“Staff followed the latest guidance and worked consistently when supporting people and visitors.” from the report
Quality monitoring
The provider had improved its monitoring systems and had added prompts to check evidence that actions were completed.
“The provider had reviewed their systems to monitor the quality of the service they provided.” from the report
No registered manager
needs fixingThere was no registered manager in post at the inspection. Area managers were running the home day to day while recruitment took place.
“There was no registered manager in post at the time of this inspection.” from the report
Shared facilities and setting
needs fixingThe home was not able to show how it met some principles intended to support choice, independence and community access. Some people were expected to use shared bathrooms and communal areas in a campus-style setting.
“This was because Wrekin Cottage - Telford (West Midlands) provided accommodation for up to 16 people, some of whom were expected to use shared facilities including bathrooms and communal areas.” from the report
Unclear improvement plans
needs fixingManagers said they were considering different accommodation, but could not provide dates or plans for the proposed changes.
“However, no dates or plans for the proposed changes could be provided by the management team we spoke with.” from the report
- 01What is the timetable for recruiting and registering a manager for the home?
- 02What specific changes are planned to the shared bathrooms, communal areas and campus-style accommodation?
- 03What dates have been set for any move towards accommodation that better supports choice, independence and community access?
- 04How are you checking that repairs, fire safety actions and infection control measures remain effective?
- 05What areas will be assessed at the next comprehensive inspection, and when is it expected?
This was a targeted inspection of specific concerns under Safe and Well-led, plus infection control; it did not assess the full key questions, so the previous overall Requires Improvement rating carried over. This explanation was written from the published report of 16 June 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, May 2021
Requires Improvement; inspectors found safety and management problems, and issued warning notices.
This was a focused inspection on 28 April 2021 after concerns about management. Inspectors looked only at Safe and Well-led. They spoke with people and staff, observed support, and checked safety and quality records.
People were not always safe because infection control and checks of the building were not effective. Inspectors found unsafe storage of cleaning products, uncovered hot water pipes, a broken stair rail, and a hole above a fire door. Some surfaces and equipment were difficult to clean.
The home had no registered manager. Quality checks had not found or fixed important problems, and similar breaches had been found at the 2019 inspection. Medicines, staffing, recruitment and safeguarding were found to be safe. The overall rating remained Requires Improvement, and warning notices were issued for safety and governance.
Medicines
People received their medicines as prescribed. Information was available for medicines taken only when needed.
“People told us they received their medicines when they needed them.” from the report
Enough staff
Inspectors found enough staff to support people safely and promptly when they needed help.
“People we spoke with told us they were supported when they wanted.” from the report
Safeguarding
Staff had training about abuse and knew how to respond to concerns. Safeguarding referrals had been made appropriately.
“People were protected from the risk of abuse and ill treatment as staff members had received training on how to recognise and respond to concerns.” from the report
People involved
People said they were involved in decisions about where they lived, what they did and what they ate.
“People told us they felt involved in decisions about where they lived including what to do and what to eat.” from the report
Environmental safety
seriousSeveral hazards were not identified or corrected. These included unsafe cleaning products, uncovered hot water pipes, a broken stair rail and a hole above a fire door.
“The provider failed to ensure all substances hazardous to health were stored correctly.” from the report
Infection control
seriousSome surfaces and equipment were dirty, rusty or damaged in ways that made effective cleaning difficult. Staff were also inconsistent in following COVID-19 visiting procedures.
“We saw parts of the home where there was evidence of ingrained dirt and staining and unknown substances on communal pieces of equipment.” from the report
Weak quality checks
seriousInternal checks did not identify or correct the safety and infection control problems found by inspectors. Similar problems had been raised at the previous inspection.
“The provider's internal quality checks failed to identify or correct the issues we found at this inspection.” from the report
No registered manager
needs fixingThere was no registered manager in post. The person managing the home day to day had not received a formal handover and was unclear about some responsibilities.
“At the time of this inspection the service did not have a registered manager in post.” from the report
Accommodation model
needs fixingThe home was on a campus-style site and some people were expected to share facilities. Managers said changes were being considered, but could not give dates or plans.
“However, no dates or plans for the proposed changes could be provided by the management team we spoke with.” from the report
- 01What has been done to safely store all hazardous cleaning products and cover hot water pipes?
- 02Has the hole above the fire door been repaired, and have fire safety checks been reviewed?
- 03How are cleanliness, damaged surfaces and rusty equipment now checked and recorded?
- 04Who is currently responsible for management, and when will a registered manager be in post?
- 05What actions are in the improvement plan, and how will you show that the same problems will not return?
This was a focused inspection of Safe and Well-led only; ratings for Effective, Caring and Responsive were carried forward from earlier comprehensive inspections. This explanation was written from the published report of 18 May 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 Wrekin Cottage - Telford (West Midlands)
3 rated inspections over 5 years: the service has slipped, from Good to Requires improvement.
- June 2021Inspected but not ratedcurrent ratingSafe: Inspected but not ratedWell-led: Inspected but not rated
Read what inspectors found at Wrekin Cottage - Telford (West Midlands) →
- May 2021Requires improvementstayed Requires improvementSafe: Requires improvementEffective: GoodCaring: Requires improvementResponsive: GoodWell-led: Requires improvement
Read what inspectors found at Wrekin Cottage - Telford (West Midlands) →
- May 2019Requires improvementdown from GoodSafe: Requires improvementWell-led: Requires improvement
- October 2016GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- August 2013
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 15 August 2013.
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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