CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at Beccles Care Home
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
- Safe?
- Good
- People were protected from abuse and avoidable harm. Risks, staffing, recruitment, medicines and infection control were managed safely, although a few records needed updating after people's health changed.
- Effective?
- Good
- Staff had relevant, up-to-date training and worked with health professionals when needed. Mealtimes had improved, but inspectors said some further coordination was needed because people did not all receive meals at the same time.
- Caring?
- Good
- Staff were warm, kind and respectful. People were supported with privacy, dignity, independence and their personal choices.
- Responsive?
- Good
- Care plans were detailed and person-centred, and staff responded to people's needs. Further conversations were needed to understand everyone's end of life preferences and wishes.
- Well-led?
- Good
- Inspectors found strong improvements under the new provider, regular audits and action plans. People, relatives and staff spoke positively about the management, although one relative did not feel involved in care plan reviews.
What inspectors found, April 2023
Beccles Care Home was rated Good; inspectors found major improvements, with a few records and care arrangements still needing attention.
This was an unannounced inspection on 17 March and 11 April 2023. Inspectors spoke with people living there, relatives and staff. They observed care and reviewed care, medicines, accident, safeguarding and management records.
The home was rated Good in all five areas: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. Inspectors found people felt safe, medicines were managed safely, staffing had improved and staff had suitable training.
Inspectors also found a friendly atmosphere and kind, respectful care. Care plans had been rewritten and were person-centred. The home had regular audits and action plans to monitor improvements.
The report says this was the first inspection under the new provider and the new service name. The previous service, under a different provider and name, was rated Inadequate in August 2022. Inspectors found significant improvements since then.
Safer care and medicines
Risks were assessed and managed, equipment was checked and medicines records showed people received medicines as prescribed.
“Medicines were managed safely and in line with good practice standards.” from the report
Improved staffing
Inspectors found enough staff to meet people's needs and noted improvements from the previous service.
“The provider and registered manager ensured there were sufficient numbers of staff deployed to meet the needs of the people at the service.” from the report
Kind and respectful staff
People were treated with warmth, dignity and respect. Staff took time to talk with people and supported their independence.
“There was a calm and friendly atmosphere in the service throughout the inspection visit.” from the report
Strong improvement and oversight
The new provider had introduced regular checks, action plans and updated care planning systems.
“Since the new provider took over the service, we found significant progress made.” from the report
Some care records needed updating
minorA few records did not yet reflect changes in people's health. The manager updated them during the inspection.
“We found a few records requiring updating following health changes, the registered manager made these amendments straight away.” from the report
Mealtime coordination
needs fixingSome people received meals before others. The wait was not significant and inspectors did not see anyone distressed, but further coordination was needed.
“Some further co-ordination was required as some people received their meals ahead of time before other people.” from the report
End of life wishes
needs fixingMost people's end of life wishes had been recorded, but the home still needed further conversations to understand everyone's preferences.
“However, further conversations were needed to understand everyone's preferences and wishes.” from the report
- 01How do you make sure care records are updated quickly when someone's health changes?
- 02How are mealtimes organised so people do not have to wait unnecessarily or receive meals much earlier than others?
- 03Have you now discussed and recorded my relative's end of life wishes in detail?
- 04How will my family be involved in care plan reviews and updates?
- 05How are you checking that the improvements made since the previous Inadequate rating are being maintained?
This was the first inspection under the new provider and service name, covering all five key questions and infection prevention and control; the previous Inadequate rating was for the earlier provider and service name. This explanation was written from the published report of 25 April 2023 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 Beccles Care Home
4 rated inspections over 2 years: the service has improved, from Requires improvement to Good.
- April 2023Goodcurrent ratingup from InadequateSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- August 2022Inadequatestayed InadequateSafe: InadequateEffective: InadequateCaring: InadequateResponsive: Requires improvementWell-led: Inadequate
- September 2021Inadequatedown from Requires improvementSafe: InadequateCaring: InadequateResponsive: InadequateWell-led: Inadequate
- November 2020Requires improvementSafe: Requires improvementEffective: GoodCaring: Requires improvementResponsive: Requires improvementWell-led: Requires improvement
- December 2022
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 7 December 2022.
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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23 live-in carers within about an hour of Suffolk
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 £1,260 a week. 17 can care for a couple. 7 years' experience on average.
“Not only was she professional, polite and efficient but she bought a lovely smile and laughter to my parents home.”
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.