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CQC report explained · a nursing home

What the CQC found at Brownlands Nursing Home

Goodpublished 15 May 2026, 4 months ago

Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.

The latest report, explained

What inspectors found, February 2022

Brownlands Nursing Home was inspected but not rated; inspectors found good COVID-19 infection-control practice.

This was an unannounced, targeted inspection on 2 February 2022. It focused on infection prevention and control during COVID-19 and asked about staffing pressures.

Inspectors found regular testing and screening for people, staff and visitors. They were assured that the home was using personal protective equipment safely, following distancing rules, admitting people safely and keeping its infection-control policy up to date.

The environment was clean, cleaning schedules were completed daily, and staff had infection-control training. The home was inspected but not rated, so this report does not give an overall quality rating.

What inspectors praised
  • Infection-control checks

    People, staff and visitors were regularly tested and screened. Inspectors were assured that visitors could safely visit.

    “The provider carried out regular testing and screening procedures ensure visitors could safely visit.” from the report
  • Clean environment

    Inspectors found the environment clean and without unpleasant smells. Daily room-cleaning schedules were in place.

    “The environment appeared clean and had no odours.” from the report
  • PPE and staff training

    Staff wore appropriate protective equipment, had access to hand sanitiser and had training in putting on and removing PPE.

    “All staff received IPC and donning and doffing training.” from the report
  • Infection-control oversight

    The registered manager carried out regular audits to check infection-control practices.

    “The registered manager completed regular audits to ensure oversight of IPC practices.” from the report
What inspectors were concerned about

Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.

Questions to ask them, based on this report
  1. 01How are COVID-19-related staffing pressures affecting the service now?
  2. 02How often are people, staff and visitors tested or screened, and what happens if someone has symptoms or a positive test?
  3. 03How do you check that staff continue to use PPE correctly and complete infection-control training?
  4. 04What did your regular infection-control audits find, and what actions followed from them?
  5. 05What resources did the CQC signpost you to, and what changes have you made as a result?

This was a targeted, unannounced inspection of infection prevention and control and COVID-19-related staffing pressures; the service was not given an overall rating. This explanation was written from the published report of 15 February 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.

An earlier report, explained

What inspectors found, January 2018

Brownlands Nursing Home was rated Good; inspectors found safe, kind and responsive care, with improvements since the previous inspection.

This was an unannounced, comprehensive inspection on 6 and 7 December 2017. Inspectors spoke with people living in the home, relatives and staff. They observed care and checked care records, staff files, training, medicines, complaints, incidents and quality checks.

The home was rated Good in all five areas: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. Inspectors found enough staff, safe medicines arrangements, suitable training, good food and support with healthcare. They also found that people were treated with warmth, dignity and respect.

The home had improved since the previous comprehensive inspection in November 2016, when it was rated Requires Improvement. A registered manager had taken up post, and the previous breach about monitoring the quality and safety of care had been met.

What inspectors praised
  • Safe care

    Risk assessments were reviewed and updated as people's needs changed. Staff also learnt from accidents, incidents, complaints and safeguarding concerns.

    “Risk assessments supported people to stay safe and took into account people's rights to take risks and have their freedom respected.” from the report
  • Kind and respectful staff

    People and relatives spoke positively about staff. Inspectors saw staff spending time with people, speaking respectfully and providing personal care privately.

    “We observed staff treated people with warmth and kindness.” from the report
  • Personalised support

    Care plans included people's histories, interests and preferences. People and their representatives were involved in planning and reviewing care.

    “The care plans contained information about people's histories, occupations, hobbies, interests and things that were important to them.” from the report
  • Improved leadership

    The registered manager had put action plans and quality checks in place. Feedback from people, relatives, staff and professionals was used to make improvements.

    “The registered manager and senior staff had driven improvements in the care that people received by constantly assessing, monitoring and evaluating the quality of people's care.” from the report
What inspectors were concerned about
  • Emergency records

    minor

    One couple had moved bedrooms, but their personal emergency evacuation records had not been updated. The registered manager corrected this during the inspection.

    “We noted one couple sharing a bedroom had recently moved to another room in the home and the PEEP's had not been updated to reflect the change of room.” from the report
  • Call-bell arrangements

    minor

    Some people could not use or understand the call bells. Staff said they checked these people in their rooms, and the manager said a new system was due to be installed.

    “Some people using the service did not have the physical or cognitive ability to use or understand how to use the call bells.” from the report
  • Policies still under review

    minor

    Quality checks were taking place, but the provider's review of its policies and procedures was not finished at the time of inspection.

    “The registered manager was in the process of reviewing the provider policies and procedures, which was work in progress.” from the report
Questions to ask them, based on this report
  1. 01How will you make sure personal emergency evacuation records are updated promptly after someone moves room?
  2. 02How will staff check people who cannot use or understand the call-bell system?
  3. 03Has the new call-bell system now been installed, and can it record room checks?
  4. 04Which provider policies were still being reviewed, and has that work now been completed?
  5. 05How will you involve my relative and our family in care reviews and feedback about the home?

This was the second comprehensive inspection and covered all five CQC questions, including the improvements made since the November 2016 inspection. This explanation was written from the published report of 27 January 2018 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 Brownlands Nursing Home

3 rated inspections over 2 years: the service has held its Good rating throughout.

  1. February 2022Inspected but not ratedcurrent rating
    Safe: Inspected but not rated

    Read what inspectors found at Brownlands Nursing Home →

  2. January 2018Goodup from Requires improvement
    Safe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good

    Read what inspectors found at Brownlands Nursing Home →

  3. January 2017Requires improvementdown from Good
    Safe: Requires improvementEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Requires improvement

    Read this report on cqc.org.uk

  4. April 2016Good
    Safe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Requires improvement

    Read this report on cqc.org.uk

  5. July 2014

    Report published without a new overall rating.

    Read this report on cqc.org.uk

  6. October 2013

    Report published without a new overall rating.

    Read this report on cqc.org.uk

  7. December 2012

    Report published without a new overall rating.

    Read this report on cqc.org.uk

  8. February 2012

    Report published without a new overall rating.

    Read this report on cqc.org.uk

  9. December 2011

    Report published without a new overall rating.

    Read this report on cqc.org.uk

  10. May 2011

    Report published without a new overall rating.

    Read this report on cqc.org.uk

  11. January 2011

    Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 12 January 2011.

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.

Next steps

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