CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at Yew Trees
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
- Safe?
- Good
- People were protected from avoidable harm. Risks were assessed, medicines were safely managed, infection controls were in place and there were enough staff to meet people's needs.
- Effective?
- Good
- Care plans reflected people's needs, including eating and drinking needs. Staff received training and support, and the home involved healthcare professionals when people needed further help.
- Caring?
- Good
- Staff were kind, respectful and familiar with the people they supported. People and families were involved in decisions about care, and staff encouraged choice and independence.
- Responsive?
- Good
- Care was personalised and regularly reviewed. People were supported with communication, activities, relationships, complaints and end-of-life preferences.
- Well-led?
- Good
- The home had frequent audits and checks covering areas such as infection control, care records and safeguarding. Staff understood their roles, worked together and had ways to share views and raise concerns.
What inspectors found, December 2022
Rated Good; inspectors found safe, kind and personalised care, with some areas needing redecoration.
This was the home’s first inspection since it registered with CQC. It was unannounced and took place on 01 December 2022. One inspector looked at the home, observed care, spoke with people, families and staff, and checked care, medicines, recruitment and quality records.
The home was rated Good overall and Good in all five areas. Inspectors found that people were safe, medicines were managed properly, staff were trained and caring, and care was personalised. People had access to food, drinks, activities and healthcare support.
The report also found strong checks on safety and quality. Some parts of the home would benefit from updating and redecoration. The home was also continuing work on recruitment, although inspectors said staffing was sufficient at the time.
Kind and respectful staff
Inspectors saw staff respond quickly when people were distressed and provide reassurance. Families spoke positively about how staff treated their relatives.
“The staff are marvellous. The way they treat people is lovely, very respectful.” from the report
Safe medicines support
Medicines were securely stored, with temperature and stock checks. Plans also gave staff guidance about occasional medicines and medicines given covertly.
“People were receiving the support they needed to safely take their medicine.” from the report
Personalised care
Care records described people's preferences and wishes, and staff understood how to provide support. Families were involved in reviews.
“People's records informed staff how people's care and support should be provided and was individualised and considered preferences and wishes” from the report
Good oversight
The home used regular checks and audits to monitor safety and quality. Staff also discussed incidents and updates in meetings and handovers.
“Governance systems were robust and quality audits and checks, including infection control, care records and safeguarding were completed frequently” from the report
Some areas need redecoration
minorThe home was clean and tidy, but inspectors said some areas would benefit from updating and redecoration. Ask what work is planned and when it will be completed.
“Some areas within the home would benefit from updating and redecoration.” from the report
- 01Which areas need updating or redecoration, and what is the timetable for this work?
- 02How many agency staff are currently used, and how will the home maintain continuity of care?
- 03How are people's individual eating, drinking and modified-diet needs recorded and checked?
- 04How are families involved in care planning and regular reviews?
- 05How are complaints, incidents and safeguarding concerns reviewed so that lessons are acted on?
This was an unannounced inspection covering all five CQC questions, including infection prevention and control, and it was the first inspection since the service registered. This explanation was written from the published report of 29 December 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, February 2022
Yew Trees: Inspected but not rated; inspectors found good infection-control practice during a COVID-19 outbreak.
This was a targeted, announced inspection on 28 January 2022. Inspectors gave 24 hours' notice and focused on infection prevention and control, including staffing pressures linked to COVID-19.
Inspectors found that staff used masks and that hand sanitiser and protective equipment were available. The home was clean, well maintained and free from unpleasant smells. Cleaning included regular attention to frequently touched areas.
The home carried out daily temperature checks for residents. Visitors completed symptom declarations, and essential care givers were able to visit during the outbreak in line with guidance. Staff and residents had individual COVID-19 risk assessments.
The service was inspected but not rated. This means the inspection did not give an overall quality rating or a rated judgement for safe care.
Good infection control
Inspectors found that staff used PPE properly and that supplies were readily available throughout the home.
“We were assured that the provider was using PPE effectively and safely.” from the report
Clean environment
The home was clean and maintained well. Regular cleaning of handrails, door handles and other touch points helped reduce infection risk.
“The care home was clean, well maintained and odour-free.” from the report
Visiting arrangements
Essential care givers could continue visiting during the outbreak, in line with the government guidance in force at the time.
“The registered manager was aware of the government guidelines around visiting and enabled essential care givers to continue to visit, if they wished to, during an outbreak in the home.” from the report
Individual risk assessments
Residents and staff had risk assessments covering their individual COVID-19 risks, with protective measures in place.
“Residents and staff had risk assessments in place to identify their individual risks associated with COVID-19.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01How do you assess and manage my relative's individual infection risks?
- 02How would visiting work if there were another outbreak, including for essential care givers?
- 03How do you monitor staffing pressures linked to COVID-19, and could they affect my relative's care?
- 04How often are frequently touched areas such as handrails and door handles cleaned?
- 05What are the home's current arrangements for testing, PPE and safe admissions?
This was a targeted inspection of infection prevention and control, with questions about COVID-19-related staffing pressures; it did not assess the other four key questions. This explanation was written from the published report of 12 February 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 Yew Trees
6 rated inspections over 7 years: the service has held its Good rating throughout.
- December 2022Goodcurrent ratingSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- February 2022Inspected but not ratedSafe: Inspected but not rated
- March 2021Inspected but not ratedSafe: Inspected but not rated
- April 2020Goodup from Requires improvementSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- March 2019Requires improvementdown from GoodSafe: Requires improvementEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Requires improvement
- February 2018Goodup from InadequateSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Requires improvement
- October 2017Inadequatedown from GoodSafe: InadequateEffective: InadequateCaring: Requires improvementResponsive: InadequateWell-led: Inadequate
- July 2015GoodSafe: GoodEffective: Requires improvementCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- August 2021
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 27 August 2021.
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 Tameside
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 £1,260 a week. 90 can care for a couple. 10 years' experience on average.
“Primrose is a very kind and compassionate healthcare professional”
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