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CQC report explained · a residential care home

What the CQC found at Carrington House Limited

Requires improvementpublished 28 November 2025, 10 months ago

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

The latest report, explained

What inspectors found, June 2021

Inspected but not rated; inspectors found strong infection-control arrangements during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The inspection took place on 18 March 2021 and was announced. It was a targeted inspection of infection prevention and control in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

Inspectors were assured that the home was managing infection risks. This included the use of personal protective equipment, testing, visiting arrangements, cleaning, laundry, social distancing and admissions.

Staff had received training in using protective equipment. Staff were tested regularly, supported to isolate when needed, and had received a first COVID-19 vaccine dose.

The home was inspected but not rated. This means the report does not give a full quality rating for the home or assess all five areas of care.

What inspectors praised
  • Protective equipment

    The home had enough PPE, and staff had been trained to put it on and remove it safely. Used PPE was disposed of as clinical waste.

    “The home had purchased adequate amounts of personal protective equipment (PPE) to ensure that staff could protect themselves and people living in the home.” from the report
  • Visiting and contact

    Visitors could meet people safely in designated areas with social distancing and PPE. The home also used phone calls, tablets and window visits when needed.

    “Visitors were able to meet with people using the service in a socially distanced way in either the family room or the reception area and PPE was provided.” from the report
  • Testing and staff support

    Staff had PCR and lateral flow tests. Those who tested positive or had to isolate were supported by the home, including with pay during isolation.

    “All staff undertook both PCR and lateral flow tests in order to protect the people they cared for.” from the report
  • Cleaning and laundry

    Cleaning schedules reflected COVID-19 risks, with frequent cleaning of high-touch areas. Inspectors also found comprehensive oversight of laundry.

    “Frequent cleaning of high touch areas was undertaken, both day and night.” 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 have your infection-control arrangements changed since the inspection on 18 March 2021?
  2. 02How do you currently manage testing and isolation for staff and residents?
  3. 03What visiting arrangements are in place now, and what PPE is provided to visitors?
  4. 04How often are high-touch areas cleaned, and how is this checked?
  5. 05What are the home's current ratings or recent inspection findings for care, staffing, activities and management?

This was a targeted inspection of infection prevention and control during the coronavirus pandemic, and the service was inspected but not rated. This explanation was written from the published report of 9 June 2021 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, October 2019

Rated Good; inspectors found safe, kind and personalised care, with a slight smell on the ground floor to investigate.

This was an unannounced inspection following an earlier Requires Improvement rating. Inspectors spoke with people, relatives, staff, volunteers and health and social care professionals. They also checked care records, medicines records, staff files, training information and quality checks.

All five areas were rated Good: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. Inspectors found enough staff, detailed risk assessments, safe medicines practice and staff who understood safeguarding. People and relatives said staff were kind, respectful and involved them in decisions.

The home had improved since the previous inspection. The provider had addressed earlier concerns about safe care, person-centred care and management systems, and was no longer in breach of regulations. Inspectors noted a slight smell on the ground floor and asked the manager to investigate it.

What inspectors praised
  • Safe care and medicines

    Inspectors found detailed risk assessments, staff who understood safeguarding and a clear system for giving medicines. People received medicines correctly and on time.

    “People received their medicines correctly and on time and in line with their preferred methods of taking them.” from the report
  • Kind and respectful staff

    People and relatives described staff as caring, polite and respectful. Staff knew people's histories, preferences and personalities.

    “The registered manager had developed a person-centred ethos within the service.” from the report
  • Personalised support

    Care plans included people's likes, dislikes and health needs. Staff supported individual interests, independence and community activities.

    “People had care plans in place, which were personalised and written in detail.” from the report
  • Learning and improvement

    The home used audits, complaints, accidents and incidents to identify improvements. People and relatives could see how feedback had led to changes.

    “The registered manager and senior staff members carried out audits for quality monitoring.” from the report
What inspectors were concerned about
  • Smell on the ground floor

    minor

    Most areas looked and smelled clean, but inspectors noticed a slight smell on the ground floor. The manager agreed to investigate the source and take action.

    “However, the ground floor had a slight malodour.” from the report
Questions to ask them, based on this report
  1. 01What was the source of the slight smell on the ground floor, and what action was taken to resolve it?
  2. 02How do you make sure the improvements since the previous inspection are still being maintained?
  3. 03How will you support my relative's individual hobbies, routines and community activities?
  4. 04How do you check that medicines are given correctly, on time and in the way each person prefers?
  5. 05How will you involve my relative and our family in care reviews and decisions?

This was an unannounced inspection covering all five CQC questions; it followed a previous Requires Improvement rating and found that earlier breaches had been addressed. This explanation was written from the published report of 16 October 2019 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 Carrington House Limited

5 rated inspections over 4 years: the service has improved, from Requires improvement to Good.

  1. June 2021Inspected but not ratedcurrent rating
    Safe: Inspected but not rated

    Read what inspectors found at Carrington House Limited →

  2. October 2019Goodup from Requires improvement
    Safe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good

    Read what inspectors found at Carrington House Limited →

  3. November 2018Requires improvementdown from Good
    Safe: Requires improvementEffective: Requires improvementCaring: Requires improvementResponsive: Requires improvementWell-led: Requires improvement

    Read this report on cqc.org.uk

  4. November 2017Goodup from Requires improvement
    Safe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Requires improvement

    Read this report on cqc.org.uk

  5. March 2017Requires improvementstayed Requires improvement
    Safe: Requires improvementEffective: Requires improvementCaring: Requires improvementResponsive: Requires improvementWell-led: Requires improvement

    Read this report on cqc.org.uk

  6. February 2016Requires improvement
    Safe: Requires improvementEffective: Requires improvementCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Requires improvement

    Read this report on cqc.org.uk

  7. June 2013

    Report published without a new overall rating.

    Read this report on cqc.org.uk

  8. November 2012

    Report published without a new overall rating.

    Read this report on cqc.org.uk

  9. June 2012

    Report published without a new overall rating.

    Read this report on cqc.org.uk

  10. May 2012

    Report published without a new overall rating.

    Read this report on cqc.org.uk

  11. November 2011

    Report published without a new overall rating.

    Read this report on cqc.org.uk

  12. October 2011

    Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 19 October 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

Weigh the report against the rest

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