CQC report explained · a nursing home
What the CQC found at Castle House Nursing Home Limited
Rated Outstanding: inspectors found the home performing exceptionally well.
- Safe?
- Good
- Inspectors were assured that the home was managing infection risks, including PPE, testing, visiting, social distancing and outbreak prevention. They also found that staffing pressures linked to COVID-19 were being managed.
- Effective?
- Good
- Does the care work? Training, consent, food and drink, working with GPs and nurses.
- Caring?
- Outstanding
- Are people treated with kindness and dignity?
- Responsive?
- Good
- Is care built around the person? Care plans, activities, complaints.
- Well-led?
- Outstanding
- Is the home run well? The manager, the culture, how problems get found and fixed.
What inspectors found, February 2022
Inspected but not rated; inspectors found strong infection-control arrangements and enough skilled staff during a COVID-19 outbreak.
This was an announced, targeted inspection on 21 January 2022. Inspectors looked at infection prevention and control, visiting arrangements and whether COVID-19 staffing pressures affected care.
The home had checks for visitors, including temperatures, vaccination status and negative lateral flow tests. Staff used personal protective equipment, had infection-control training and followed procedures for handwashing and using equipment.
Inspectors found suitable arrangements for social distancing, visiting, zoning and testing. They were also told there were enough skilled staff, with no agency staff being used and staff not working in other services.
The home was inspected but not rated. This means the visit did not provide a new overall quality rating or a rated judgement for Safe.
Infection-control checks
Visitors were checked on arrival, including their temperature, vaccination status and lateral flow test result. Staff had infection-control training and used PPE in line with guidance.
“To minimise the risk of infection transmission, procedures were in place for staff and visitors on arrival to the service.” from the report
Staffing arrangements
Inspectors observed and were told that there were enough skilled staff to meet people's needs. The home said staff did not work in other services and no agency staff were being used.
“During our inspection, we observed and were told there were sufficient numbers of skilled staff to meet peoples' needs.” from the report
Adapted environment
The home had changed its layout to support distancing, different entrances, separate areas, visiting spaces and a visiting pod.
“The service had adapted the environment to enable the use of different entrances, created additional eating and snack areas, enabled zoning of the home, created suitable visiting areas and a visiting pod.” from the report
Pandemic management
Feedback described good communication, caring staff and clear infection-control systems during the pandemic.
“We received positive feedback about how the service had been well managed through the COVID-19 pandemic.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01What infection-control and visiting arrangements are currently in place following the COVID-19 outbreak?
- 02How do you check that visitors have the required vaccination status or exemption and a negative lateral flow test?
- 03Are there currently enough skilled staff, and are you still avoiding agency staff and staff working in other services?
- 04How often are residents and staff tested, and what happens if someone tests positive?
- 05How would you support visits and contact with family if another outbreak occurred?
This was a targeted inspection of infection prevention and control, visiting arrangements and COVID-19 staffing pressures; it was not a full rated inspection of all five questions. This explanation was written from the published report of 8 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.
What inspectors found, February 2020
Castle House Nursing Home was rated Outstanding; inspectors found exceptionally caring and well-led care, with safe, effective and responsive care rated Good.
This was an unannounced inspection over 23 and 24 September 2019. Inspectors spoke with people living in the home, relatives, staff and healthcare professionals. They also reviewed care plans, medicine records, staff files and quality records.
People told inspectors they felt safe and received kind, respectful and personalised care. Staff were well trained, medicines were managed safely, and people were supported to make choices and stay involved in their care.
The home offered a wide range of activities and worked with healthcare professionals to meet changing needs. Inspectors also found strong leadership, regular checks on quality and a culture where people, relatives and staff could speak openly.
The overall rating was Outstanding. Safe, effective and responsive care were rated Good. Caring improved from Good to Outstanding, while well-led remained Outstanding since the previous inspection.
Kind and personal care
Staff built strong relationships and treated people as individuals. Inspectors saw many examples of staff going beyond basic care to support people and their families.
“The provider ensured that staff focused on building and maintaining open and honest relationships with people and their families.” from the report
Choice and dignity
People were supported to make decisions, remain independent and continue activities that mattered to them. Staff adapted care around people's wishes rather than taking over.
“The homes approach enabled people to continue their lives as they were before they came in to the home.” from the report
Well-trained staff
Staff had a broad training programme, induction and ongoing support. Specialist roles helped staff share good practice across the home.
“People received effective care and support from staff who were exceptionally well trained.” from the report
Activities and community links
People could choose from regular one-to-one and group activities based on their interests. Volunteers and local organisations helped reduce isolation.
“The activities team offered one to one and group activities every day, so people could choose what they wanted to do.” from the report
Older staff records had gaps
minorSome application forms for staff who had worked at the home for years did not include complete employment histories. The provider collected the missing information and updated the relevant files during the inspection.
“We found some application forms for staff that had been in post for years had gaps in their employment history.” from the report
- 01How would you meet my relative's specific nursing or dementia needs, and how would their care plan be reviewed with our family?
- 02What activities would be available for my relative's interests, including one-to-one support if they do not want group activities?
- 03How would you support my relative to communicate if they have hearing loss, speech difficulties or another communication need?
- 04How do you make sure staff records, including employment histories and recruitment checks, remain complete and up to date?
- 05How would you discuss and record my relative's wishes about end of life care?
This was an unannounced comprehensive inspection covering all five CQC questions, including the premises and care provided; the previous rating was also considered. This explanation was written from the published report of 4 February 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 Castle House Nursing Home Limited
2 rated inspections over 3 years: the service has held its Outstanding rating throughout.
- February 2022Inspected but not ratedcurrent ratingSafe: Inspected but not rated
Read what inspectors found at Castle House Nursing Home Limited →
- February 2020Outstandingstayed OutstandingSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: OutstandingResponsive: GoodWell-led: Outstanding
Read what inspectors found at Castle House Nursing Home Limited →
- March 2017OutstandingSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: OutstandingWell-led: Outstanding
- February 2014
Report published without a new overall rating.
- February 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- October 2011
Report published without a new overall rating.
- November 2010
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 30 November 2010.
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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Most charge £1,020 to £1,370 a week. 62 can care for a couple. 12 years' experience on average.
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