Rothbury Cottage Care Ltd

Date of Assessment: 12 December 2024 to 13 January 2025. Rothbury Cottage Care Ltd is a residential care home providing personal care for up to 14 people who have physical health conditions. It is based in a converted community hospital. At the time of the inspection 14 people used the service. The management team worked with staff to encourage a shared vision, strategy and culture. Following the closure of a local community hospital the Trust had found there was a need for a community service in the Rothbury area. Professionals discussed how the service they had created with NHS colleagues had addressed the unmet needs of the local community for step-down, convalescence and respite services. Partner agencies found access to the service had markedly reduced delayed discharges from hospitals and allowed people to be supported close to their home. Staff treated people with dignity and kindness. People experienced a wide range of activities. The catering staff understood people’s needs and ensured people received enjoyable, nutritious meals. People, relatives and professionals were complimentary about staff who were supporting individuals. People felt safe. Staff understood people's needs and how to manage any presenting risks. We discussed the enhancements that could be made to the electronic assessment template. The management team confirmed they would work with the team who designed the template to make these improvements. There were always 2 care staff on duty. During the weekdays this was enough as other staff were around. At other times there was just enough staff if no incidents occurred, and people were fairly independent. The dependency tool did not capture when people had been assessed as having high needs. This meant the staffing calculations constantly remained at 2 staff. The provider had noted these issues and was already taking action to resolve them.