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CQC report explained · a residential care home, run by Achieve Together

Westcliffe Villa

37a Sea Road, Westgate-on-Sea, CT8 8QW

Requires improvementpublished 18 January 2024, 2 years ago

Rated Requires improvement: inspectors found the service was not performing as well as it should and told it what to change.

The five questions inspectors ask
Safe?
Requires improvement
Some important safety checks were overdue or missing, including the electrical inspection and choking risk assessments. Inspectors also found a missing window restrictor, although these issues were addressed during or shortly after the inspection.
Effective?
Good
People's health, communication, nutrition and support needs were assessed and staff knew them well. People were supported to make choices, access healthcare and live as independently as possible.
Caring?
Good
Staff were kind and compassionate, respected privacy and dignity, and understood people's communication methods, preferences and sensory needs.
Responsive?
Good
Care was reviewed with people and adapted to their needs and wishes. People were supported with activities, family relationships, communication and access to the local community.
Well-led?
Requires improvement
The culture was described as positive, calm and open, but quality systems did not consistently identify or resolve safety and care-record problems. This was a breach of Regulation 17.
The latest report, explained

What inspectors found, January 2024

Rated Requires Improvement; inspectors found kind, person-centred care, but safety checks and quality systems were not reliable.

This was an unannounced inspection on 7 and 8 November 2023. Two inspectors, an Expert by Experience and a British Sign Language interpreter spoke with staff, observed care and reviewed care plans, risk assessments, staff records and quality checks.

The home provided kind care and supported people to make choices, stay independent and take part in community activities. Inspectors rated Effective, Caring and Responsive as Good. Staff supported people with medicines, health appointments, communication and everyday choices.

The overall rating fell from Good at the previous inspection in 2017 to Requires Improvement. Important safety checks were overdue, a window was missing a safety fitting and some choking risk assessments were not in place. The provider's quality checks had not reliably found or fixed these problems, leading to a breach of Regulation 17.

What inspectors praised

  • Kind and respectful care

    Inspectors saw people treated with kindness and compassion. Staff respected people's privacy, dignity and personal space.

    “People received kind and compassionate care that was person-centred and promoted their dignity and privacy because staff understood and responded to people's individual needs.” from the report

  • Choice and independence

    People were supported to make everyday choices, prepare food, do household tasks and take part in their local community.

    “People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives.” from the report

  • Good communication

    Staff used British Sign Language, gestures, objects and other methods to help people express themselves and understand information.

    “Staff used a range of communication approaches including BSL and objects of reference.” from the report

  • Support for health needs

    People were supported to access healthcare, including dental care, mental health support and hospital care. Staff used hospital passports and other information to help maintain continuity.

    “People were effectively supported to access health care.” from the report
What inspectors were concerned about

  • Overdue safety checks

    serious

    The electrical wiring inspection was out of date. A window was also missing a restrictor, which could increase the risk of someone climbing or falling out.

    “The service's Electrical Installation Condition Report was out of date.” from the report

  • Choking risks not recorded

    serious

    Some people at increased risk of choking did not have risk assessments explaining what staff should do. The concern was addressed after inspectors raised it.

    “Where people were had an increased risk of choking due to health conditions, there were no risk assessments in people's care plans to set out what staff needed to do if a person choked.” from the report

  • Weak quality checks

    serious

    The home's audits had not found or resolved several safety and care-record problems before the inspection. This led to a breach of Regulation 17.

    “The provider had failed to effectively assess, monitor, and improve the quality and safety of the service.” from the report

  • Some care plans needed updating

    needs fixing

    Support plans did not always fully reflect people's needs. Inspectors said this was addressed during the inspection.

    “People's support plans did not always reflect their needs.” from the report
Questions to ask them, based on this report
  1. 01Has the electrical wiring inspection now been completed, and when is the next one due?
  2. 02How are choking risks now assessed and recorded in each person's care plan?
  3. 03What checks now make sure repairs, such as window restrictors and plasterwork, are completed promptly?
  4. 04How will managers prove that quality audits identify and fix problems before they affect people's safety?
  5. 05What is the current plan for completing and personalising people's end-of-life care plans?

This was an unannounced comprehensive inspection covering all five CQC questions, including care, premises, staffing, records and management systems. This explanation was written from the published report of 18 January 2024 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.

The story over the years

Every inspection of Westcliffe Villa

2 rated inspections over 7 years: the service has slipped, from Good to Requires improvement.

  1. January 2024Requires improvementcurrent ratingdown from Good
    Safe: Requires improvementEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Requires improvement

    Read what inspectors found at Westcliffe Villa →

  2. June 2017Good
    Safe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
  3. June 2021

    Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 30 June 2021.

Ratings and report dates from the Care Quality Commission. A service can also be visited without a new rating being published, so the timeline shows published inspections, not every contact the CQC has had with the service.

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