CQC report explained · a nursing home
What the CQC found at Grennell Lodge Nursing Care Home
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
- Safe?
- Good
- People were protected from abuse and avoidable harm. Inspectors found suitable risk assessments, staffing, recruitment checks, medicines procedures and infection control arrangements.
- Effective?
- Good
- People's needs and choices were assessed and care plans had been updated and digitalised. Staff were trained, people had access to healthcare, and the home worked with other professionals.
- Caring?
- Good
- People and relatives said staff were kind, respectful and compassionate. Inspectors saw staff protecting privacy and dignity and encouraging independence.
- Responsive?
- Good
- Care plans were personalised and people were supported with communication, activities, friendships and family contact. Complaints procedures and end-of-life planning were in place.
- Well-led?
- Good
- Inspectors found an open culture, approachable management and effective checks on care, medicines, staffing, accidents and other areas of quality.
What inspectors found, November 2023
Grennell Lodge Nursing Care Home was rated Good; inspectors found safe, kind and personalised care, with no breaches reported.
The CQC carried out an unannounced inspection. Inspectors visited on 16 and 23 October 2023, spoke with people living in the home, relatives, staff and a healthcare professional, and checked care records, medicines, recruitment files and other records.
All five areas were rated Good: safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led. Inspectors found that people were safe, medicines were managed properly, staff were trained, and people's health needs were supported.
People and relatives described kind and respectful care. Care plans reflected people's needs and preferences, relatives were involved where appropriate, and people were supported with activities, relationships and end-of-life wishes.
The overall Good rating means inspectors found the home was meeting the relevant requirements and providing a consistently good standard of care at the time of the inspection. The previous rating was also Good, published in June 2018.
People felt safe
People said they felt safe and were well supported. Staff understood safeguarding procedures and the home had acted appropriately when concerns were raised.
“People said they felt safe and were well supported by staff.” from the report
Safe medicines systems
Trained nursing staff gave medicines, records were audited, and medicines were stored safely. There were also clear arrangements for medicines given only when needed.
“Medicines were managed safely. Staff followed procedures to make sure people received their medicines safely, according to their needs and choices, and as prescribed.” from the report
Kind and respectful care
People and relatives gave positive feedback about staff's compassion. Inspectors saw staff protecting privacy, explaining care and encouraging independence.
“We received positive feedback about the caring nature of staff and their compassionate approach.” from the report
Personalised activities
The activities programme was based on people's interests. The home also supported cultural and religious events.
“The provider recruited an activities coordinator who was creative in developing a wide range of individualised activities that people had expressed an interest in.” from the report
Strong oversight
The home used regular audits and checks to identify improvements. People, relatives and staff felt able to speak with managers.
“There was a good governance system in place to ensure there was appropriate oversight of the service to identify improvements needed.” from the report
Registered manager application pending
minorThere was no registered manager in post at the time of the inspection. A new manager had been in post for three months and had applied to register, but the application was still being assessed.
“At the time of our inspection there was not a registered manager in post.” from the report
- 01What is the current position of the manager's application to become registered?
- 02How would you meet my relative's particular dementia, nursing and communication needs?
- 03How are families involved in reviewing care plans and decisions about care?
- 04What activities would be suitable for my relative's interests, abilities and cultural or religious needs?
- 05How do you check that medicines, falls, skin care and nutritional needs are being managed safely?
This was an unannounced inspection covering all five CQC questions, including infection prevention and control, with visits to the home on 16 and 23 October 2023. This explanation was written from the published report of 18 November 2023 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 Grennell Lodge Nursing Care Home
4 rated inspections over 8 years: the service has held its Good rating throughout.
- November 2023Goodcurrent ratingstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
Read what inspectors found at Grennell Lodge Nursing Care Home →
- August 2018Goodstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- January 2017Goodstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- August 2015GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- March 2022
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 21 March 2022.
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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At least 100 live-in carers within about an hour of Sutton
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 £980 to £1,230 a week. 81 can care for a couple. 11 years' experience on average.
“She cared for my mum with Alzheimer's with endless patience and kindness, always arriving with a smile and a positive attitude”
“Terry has been of invaluable help to our family while working as a part-time live-in carer for our mother for approximately 6 months”
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.