CQC report explained · a nursing home
What the CQC found at Blenheim House Care Home
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
What inspectors found, September 2022
Blenheim House Care Home is rated Good; inspectors found people were safe and the home was well-led, but medicines records and activities needed improvement.
This was an unannounced focused inspection on 30 and 31 August 2022. Inspectors looked only at Safe and Well-led because of concerns about medicines and falls. They spoke with 13 people, 10 relatives and 11 staff, and checked care records, medicines records, recruitment files and management audits.
The home was rated Good for Safe and Well-led. Inspectors found people felt safe, risks were assessed and staff knew how to respond to suspected abuse. Falls had reduced overall, medicines were administered by trained staff, and recruitment checks were completed.
There were some issues to address. Medicine fridge temperatures were recorded in the wrong format, and the report recommended further staff guidance. Comments about staffing were mixed. Care plans, dementia accommodation, activities and communication were areas the home had already identified for improvement.
The overall rating stayed Good, partly because the ratings for the other three questions were carried forward from the previous inspection in January 2020. This inspection did not reassess Effective, Caring or Responsive.
People felt safe
People told inspectors they felt safe, and staff understood how to recognise and report abuse.
“People told us they felt safe. Comments from people included, "I feel safe with staff here to help” from the report
Falls were monitored
The home monitored when falls happened and changed staff break times to provide more support at busier times. Overall, falls had decreased in the six months before the inspection.
“Analysis we reviewed showed that, overall, falls had decreased in the six months prior to our inspection.” from the report
Safe recruitment and medicines training
Recruitment checks included previous employers and DBS checks. Staff who administered medicines were trained and their competence was checked.
“Medicines were managed and administered by staff who were trained and assessed as competent.” from the report
Kind interactions
Inspectors observed kind and caring interactions, and staff spoke about people in a person-centred way.
“We observed kind and caring interactions between staff and people on both days of our inspection” from the report
Learning from incidents
The provider had introduced a process to look at why things went wrong and share learning across the organisation.
“This information was reviewed and used to identify themes and trends, so the provider could act to prevent a recurrence.” from the report
Staffing was not viewed consistently
minorPeople, relatives and staff gave mixed views about staffing. Some felt more staff were needed, although call bells were generally answered within the provider's expected range.
“We received mixed comments about staffing levels in the service.” from the report
Activities and communication
needs fixingPeople said activities were inconsistent, and people and relatives said communication was not always prompt and effective. The home was recruiting an activities coordinator and had a plan to improve engagement.
“People told us activities provision was inconsistent. At the time of our inspection, the provider was working to recruit an additional activities coordinator” from the report
Care plans and dementia areas
needs fixingThe provider had found that care plans were not always accurate or up to date. It had also identified that accommodation for people living with dementia was not to the same standard as other areas.
“The provider had identified care plans were not always accurate and up to date.” from the report
- 01How are medicines fridge temperatures recorded now, and who checks that the records are correct?
- 02What are the current staffing levels on each floor, and how often are agency staff used?
- 03What has changed to make activities more consistent across the home?
- 04What improvements have been made to the accommodation for people living with dementia?
- 05How do you make sure care plans are accurate, up to date and discussed with residents and relatives?
This was an unannounced focused inspection of Safe and Well-led only; the Effective, Caring and Responsive ratings were carried forward from the previous inspection published in January 2020. This explanation was written from the published report of 30 September 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, November 2020
Inspected but not rated; inspectors found good infection control arrangements during a targeted COVID-19 inspection.
Inspectors visited the home on 21 October 2020. The visit was announced and focused only on infection prevention and control during the coronavirus pandemic.
They found good arrangements for visitors, including booking visits, health checks, hand cleaning and masks. There were also separate garden areas and a visiting room designed to reduce infection risks.
The home had a separate COVID-19 unit, with dedicated staff, clear instructions for protective equipment and waste, and separate access points. Inspectors were assured that the home was using protective equipment, cleaning premises and admitting people safely.
The service was inspected but not rated. This does not give an overall quality rating or ratings for care, responsiveness, effectiveness or leadership.
Visitor infection controls
The home used scheduled visits, visitor screening, temperature checks, hand cleaning and masks to reduce the risk of infection spreading.
“Robust protocols were in place for all visitors to prevent the spread of infection.” from the report
Separate COVID-19 unit
A self-contained unit had separate entry and exit points, with dedicated staff and clear instructions for protective equipment, waste, food and equipment.
“The service developed a designated COVID-19 unit in one of the wings of the home.” from the report
Clean surroundings
The home had a detailed cleaning schedule, especially for shared areas, visiting spaces and frequently touched surfaces.
“There was a stringent cleaning schedule, particularly for communal or visiting areas before and after use and in high touch areas around the home.” from the report
Staff training and protective equipment
Staff had extra training in COVID-19 and infection control procedures. Inspectors saw staff wearing fluid-repellent masks.
“All staff had extra training in COVID-19 and infection prevention and control procedures.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01Are the separate COVID-19 arrangements and dedicated staffing still in place?
- 02How are visitors currently booked, screened and supported to use protective equipment?
- 03How is the 14-day isolation protocol applied to new residents or people who develop symptoms?
- 04How often are communal areas, visiting areas and frequently touched surfaces cleaned?
- 05How are hospital visits managed now, including the use of the home's own transport?
This was a targeted inspection of infection prevention and control measures only; the service was inspected but not rated and the other care questions were not assessed. This explanation was written from the published report of 10 November 2020 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 Blenheim House Care Home
5 rated inspections over 7 years: the service has improved, from Requires improvement to Good.
- September 2022Goodcurrent ratingSafe: GoodEffective: Requires improvementCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- November 2020Inspected but not ratedSafe: Inspected but not rated
- January 2020Goodup from Requires improvementSafe: GoodWell-led: Good
- November 2018Requires improvementdown from GoodSafe: Requires improvementEffective: Requires improvementCaring: GoodResponsive: Requires improvementWell-led: Requires improvement
- September 2016Goodup from Requires improvementSafe: Requires improvementEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- October 2015Requires improvementSafe: GoodEffective: Requires improvementCaring: GoodResponsive: Requires improvementWell-led: Good
- September 2019
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 30 September 2019.
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.
Weigh the report against the rest
Fees, photos and reviews from families
How to read CQC ratings and reports
What to check when you visit
At least 100 live-in carers within about two hours of Wiltshire
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 £1,340 a week. 82 can care for a couple. 12 years' experience on average.
“Linet became her carer and all changed, my daughter started eating, taking her medications and more important her happiness came back.”
“I cannot recommend Prisca highly enough, she is one in a million.”
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.