CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at Crandon Springs Care Home
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
- Safe?
- Good
- People were protected from abuse and avoidable harm, and risks were assessed. Inspectors found medicines management issues, including patch records, cleaning of crushing devices and expiry-date checks.
- Effective?
- Good
- People’s needs were assessed and healthcare support was provided. Staff received training, although some staff had not received supervision recently and feedback about training and experience was mixed.
- Caring?
- Good
- People and relatives described staff as kind, caring and respectful. Inspectors saw staff knocking before entering rooms, asking consent and supporting people’s independence.
- Responsive?
- Good
- The home offered personalised care and a wide range of activities. However, some care plans were missing information or were not up to date, and two people said they felt isolated in their rooms.
- Well-led?
- Good
- There were quality checks, audits and action plans, and the new manager acted quickly when problems were found. Some staff raised concerns about team culture, communication and handovers.
What inspectors found, December 2022
Crandon Springs Care Home is rated Good; inspectors found kind, safe care, but medicines and care records needed improvement.
Inspectors visited on 9 and 14 September 2022 without giving advance notice. They spoke with people living in the home, relatives and staff. They observed care and checked care plans, medicines, staffing, recruitment and management records.
The home was rated Good in all five areas: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. People generally felt safe. Staff were described as kind and respectful. Staffing had improved and people’s health needs were being met.
Inspectors found some shortfalls. Medicines records and some medicines processes were not always reliable. Care plans were of mixed quality, with some missing or outdated information. The manager took immediate action on the issues identified and sent CQC a plan for further improvements.
This was the first rating since the home was registered. A Good rating means inspectors found the service was performing well overall, although improvements were still needed.
Kind and respectful staff
People and relatives consistently gave positive feedback about staff being kind, caring and respectful. Inspectors also observed privacy and dignity being respected.
“People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests” from the report
Improved staffing
Inspectors found enough staff during the visit, with shifts covered and call bells answered promptly. Most feedback indicated staffing had improved.
“People's call bells were answered promptly throughout our inspection.” from the report
Activities and mealtimes
People had access to varied activities, including activities for people living with dementia. Inspectors observed a positive mealtime experience with choices and support available.
“Our observations of the mealtime experience was positive. Staff were attentive and offered support where required.” from the report
Action-focused management
The new manager responded immediately to shortfalls found during the inspection. The home also had audits and a plan for further improvements.
“The manager responded immediately to these issues during the inspection.” from the report
Medicines records and checks
needs fixingSome medicines processes were not consistently safe. Patches were not always rotated as directed, there was no record that they remained in place, and some devices and expiry dates were not checked properly.
“Where medicines required cutting or crushing the devices used to do this were not always appropriately cleaned after use.” from the report
Care plans not always current
needs fixingSome care plans lacked important personal information or did not reflect changed needs. This could make it harder for staff to provide fully consistent care.
“The quality of the care plans were mixed.” from the report
Some people felt isolated
minorMost people were positive about activities, but two people said they felt isolated in their rooms and wanted more one-to-one time with staff.
“Two people however told us they felt isolated in their rooms and they would benefit from someone to one interaction.” from the report
Staffing and communication concerns
minorAlthough staffing had improved overall, some people and relatives said staffing could still be under pressure. Some staff also felt communication and handovers needed improvement.
“At times staffing resources are under pressure. They are doing their very best.” from the report
- 01What changes have been made to medicines checks since the inspection, especially for patches, crushing devices and expiry dates?
- 02How do you make sure every care plan reflects current needs, including dementia and changes in mobility?
- 03What has been done to provide more one-to-one time for people who do not join group activities?
- 04How do you monitor staffing levels when staff resources are under pressure?
- 05What improvements have been made to staff communication and handovers?
This was a comprehensive first inspection covering all five key questions, including infection prevention and control; the service had no previous rating because it was newly registered. This explanation was written from the published report of 2 December 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.
Every inspection of Crandon Springs Care Home
Each visit the CQC has published, newest first, back to the day the home was registered.
- December 2022Goodcurrent ratingSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- April 2021
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 8 April 2021.
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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76 live-in carers within about two hours of Somerset
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Most charge £1,020 to £1,370 a week. 62 can care for a couple. 12 years' experience on average.
“She looked after my mum, who can be incredibly challenging, so well and so gently, and we always felt confident that my mum was getting the best care available.”
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