CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at Yewdale Farm
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
- Safe?
- Good
- Inspectors found effective safeguarding, risk management, staffing, medicines and infection control. They found no evidence that people were at risk of harm from the concerns that prompted the inspection.
- Effective?
- Good
- This question was not assessed during this focused inspection.
- Caring?
- Good
- This question was not assessed during this focused inspection.
- Responsive?
- Good
- Staff knew people's preferences and communication methods. People were supported with activities, relationships, community access and complaints.
- Well-led?
- Good
- Inspectors found effective management oversight, staff support, audits and partnership working. Managers investigated incidents and shared learning.
What inspectors found, July 2022
Yewdale Farm is rated Good; inspectors found safe, person-centred support and said the rating had improved from Requires Improvement.
This was an unannounced focused inspection on 20 and 23 June 2022. Inspectors reviewed safety, responsiveness and leadership because concerns had been raised about people's safety and how the service was managed.
Inspectors spoke with people, relatives, an advocate and staff. They reviewed care, medicines, staffing, incident and complaints records, and management checks. They found people were safe, staff understood their needs and there were enough suitably recruited staff.
The home supported people to communicate in ways they understood, follow their interests and take part in activities. Medicines were managed safely, infection control arrangements were suitable, and managers used incidents and audits to improve care.
The overall rating changed from Requires Improvement to Good. This inspection did not assess the Effective or Caring questions.
Personalised support
Staff understood people's preferences, strengths and communication styles. Care plans and communication tools reflected the support people needed.
“People's care plans were an accurate reflection of the support they needed and what people could do independently.” from the report
Communication
Staff used pictures, objects, gestures, signs and body language to help people express themselves and understand what was happening.
“Staff had good awareness, skills and understanding of individual communication needs, they knew how to facilitate communication and when people were trying to tell them something.” from the report
Activities and independence
People were supported to enjoy hobbies, exercise, community activities and daily living skills. Staff worked towards people's goals and greater independence.
“Staff supported people with a wide and varied range of options for pastimes, hobbies, interests, exercise and independent living skills.” from the report
Safety and medicines
Staff understood safeguarding and individual risks. Medicines were administered, recorded, stored and audited safely.
“Medicines were recorded, audited, stored and disposed of safely in line with the provider's medicines administration policy.” from the report
Learning and oversight
Managers investigated incidents, looked for trends and used audits and staff discussions to improve the service.
“The registered manager supported staff to learn when things went wrong.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01How will you learn and use my relative's individual communication methods, including any pictures, objects, gestures or signs?
- 02How will you support my relative to take part in activities, exercise and community visits?
- 03How will you manage and review my relative's medicines, including any medicines given only when needed?
- 04What would you do if my relative became distressed, and how would you minimise restrictions or the use of restraint?
- 05How will you involve our family, an advocate and health professionals in reviews and decisions about care?
This was an unannounced focused inspection of Safe, Responsive and Well-led only; Effective and Caring were not assessed in this report. This explanation was written from the published report of 22 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
Yewdale Farm was inspected but not rated; inspectors found good infection prevention and control arrangements.
Inspectors visited the home on 3 March 2021. This was an announced, targeted inspection focused on infection prevention and control during the coronavirus pandemic.
They found the home had effective arrangements for visitors, personal protective equipment, testing, cleaning, social distancing and shielding. The home was clean, free from odours and clutter, and had risk assessments for people or staff at increased risk of infection.
Visiting was suspended except in exceptional circumstances at the time of the visit. The home planned to restart visiting from 8 March 2021, with safety processes for people entering the home.
Visitor safety
The home had a process for visitors entering safely and in line with government guidance. Visiting arrangements were based on people's individual wellbeing.
“There was an effective process and systems in place for visitors entering the service, in line with the government guidance.” from the report
Protective equipment
There was enough PPE and staff were using it effectively.
“There was enough personal protective equipment (PPE) available and staff used this effectively.” from the report
Clean environment
Inspectors found good cleaning arrangements and described the home as clean, without odours or clutter.
“Good cleaning regimes were in place. The service was clean, odour and clutter free.” from the report
Managing infection risk
The home had individual risk assessments for people and staff at increased risk of infection, including whether they could isolate.
“Individual risk assessments were in place for any person or staff member at an increased risk of infection which included being able to isolate.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01How are visits arranged now, and what safety checks are used when people enter the home?
- 02How do you identify and support people or staff who are at increased risk of infection?
- 03How often are PPE supplies, staff testing and infection control arrangements checked?
- 04How do you make sure the cleaning, hygiene and isolation arrangements described in the report are still being followed?
This was a targeted inspection of infection prevention and control under the Safe question; the service was inspected but not rated overall and the other questions were not covered. This explanation was written from the published report of 13 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 Yewdale Farm
4 rated inspections over 7 years: the service has held its Good rating throughout.
- July 2022Goodcurrent ratingSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- March 2021Inspected but not ratedSafe: Inspected but not rated
- December 2019Requires improvementdown from GoodSafe: GoodResponsive: Requires improvementWell-led: Requires improvement
- April 2017Goodstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- March 2015GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- June 2014
Report published without a new overall rating.
- May 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- August 2012
Report published without a new overall rating.
- December 2011
Report published without a new overall rating.
- November 2010
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 25 November 2010.
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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17 live-in carers within about an hour of Cambridgeshire
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 £1,200 a week. 14 can care for a couple. 12 years' experience on average.
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.