CQC report explained · a nursing home
What the CQC found at Knowle Park Nursing Home
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
- Safe?
- Good
- People's risks were assessed and reviewed, medicines were recorded clearly, and staff followed infection control measures. The home also had processes for safeguarding, safe recruitment and learning from accidents.
- Effective?
- Good
- Staff had relevant training and competency checks. People were supported with food, drink and healthcare, and their care reflected professional advice and their individual needs.
- Caring?
- Good
- Inspectors observed kind and respectful interactions. Staff offered choices, protected privacy and encouraged people to remain as independent as possible.
- Responsive?
- Good
- Care plans recorded individual preferences, communication needs and end of life wishes. People had activities, friendships and support to maintain relationships, and concerns were addressed in a timely way.
- Well-led?
- Good
- People, relatives and staff felt involved and supported by the management team. Regular meetings, audits and an action plan were used to monitor quality and make improvements.
What inspectors found, October 2022
Knowle Park Nursing Home is Rated Good; inspectors found kind, safe and personalised care across all five areas.
The CQC made an unannounced inspection visit on 30 August 2022. Three inspectors spoke with seven people, three relatives and 10 staff. They observed care and checked care plans, medicines records, staff recruitment files and management records.
The home was rated Good overall and Good for Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. Inspectors found kind staff, safe medicines support, well-managed risks, suitable training, good access to healthcare and activities that reflected people's interests.
People and relatives said they felt safe, involved and able to raise concerns. Care plans recorded people's choices and needs, including communication and end of life preferences. The overall rating was unchanged from the previous Good rating, published on 18 December 2019.
Kind and respectful care
Staff treated people with kindness, dignity and respect. Inspectors observed staff offering choices and supporting privacy and independence.
“People were supported by kind and caring staff that treated them with dignity and respect.” from the report
Safe medicines and risk management
Medicines records were clear and audited. People's risks, including falls, choking and anxiety, were assessed and reviewed with guidance for staff.
“Records we reviewed were clear and accurate. All medicine administration were recorded clearly on Medicine Administration Record (MAR) charts.” from the report
Personalised support
Care plans recorded people's preferences, communication needs and choices. Staff adapted their support to individuals and offered suitable activities.
“Care plans detailed people's individual needs and choices. Preferences were detailed such as what food people preferred and how people liked to spend their time.” from the report
Good involvement and leadership
People, relatives and staff could share views through meetings. The management team used audits and an action plan to oversee care and improvements.
“Regular quality audits were completed. This ensured that action was taken quickly to ensure a good level of care was maintained.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01How will you assess and update my relative's care plan, including their communication, mobility and health needs?
- 02How will you support my relative with medicines, and how are medicine records and audits checked?
- 03What activities would match my relative's interests, and how would you support them to keep in touch with family and friends?
- 04What training and competency checks will staff have for my relative's particular nursing or dementia needs?
- 05How would you record and follow my relative's wishes if they needed end of life care?
This was an unannounced inspection covering all five CQC key questions, including infection prevention and control; the report says all five ratings remained Good from the previous inspection. This explanation was written from the published report of 19 October 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, December 2019
Knowle Park Nursing Home was rated Good in all five areas; inspectors found kind, safe care with some care planning records needing improvement.
This was an unannounced inspection on 26 November 2019. Four inspectors spoke with people living in the home, relatives and staff. They observed care and checked care records, staff files, training, audits and other management records.
The home was rated Good overall and Good for Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. Inspectors found enough staff, safe medicines systems, suitable training and good support with health needs, food, activities and personal choices.
People and relatives described staff as kind, respectful and caring. Inspectors also found some gaps in care planning records, including missing mental capacity and best-interest documents, and said more detail was needed about people's end of life wishes. The manager acted on some of these points during or after the inspection.
Safe care and staffing
Inspectors found enough staff to meet people's needs and saw support being given promptly. Risk assessments covered areas such as falls, skin damage, nutrition and choking.
“There were sufficient staff at the service to support people with the needs.” from the report
Kind and respectful staff
People and relatives spoke positively about staff. Inspectors saw staff protect privacy, listen to choices and encourage people to remain independent.
“People and relatives told us that staff were kind, caring and respectful towards them.” from the report
Activities and relationships
People were supported to continue hobbies, attend outings and maintain relationships. People staying in their rooms were offered one-to-one activities to reduce isolation.
“Where people were cared for their room staff visited them to undertake one to ones to reduce the risk of social isolation.” from the report
Quality monitoring
The provider and manager used audits, complaints and incident reviews to monitor care and make changes. Inspectors saw evidence that this included tracking call bell response times and falls.
“The provider and registered manager undertook audits to review the quality of care being provided.” from the report
Missing decision records
needs fixingSome mental capacity assessments and best-interest decisions were not included in care plans. The manager started a review of care plans and said the missing documents would be completed.
“However, some of the assessments and best interest decisions were not present in the care plan.” from the report
End of life planning
needs fixingInspectors found that care was planned around people's wishes but said the care plans needed more information about what people wanted at the end of life.
“However, we have fed back that more information was required in the care plans around what people wanted at the end of their life.” from the report
Staffing during sickness
needs fixingStaff said occasional last-minute sickness could make staffing difficult. They said staffing was enough when the full team was present and that nurses helped cover gaps.
“Staff told us that when there was occasional last minute sickness it was sometimes difficult to manage.” from the report
Information for staff
minorInspectors said staff would benefit from a short summary of each person's background and care. The manager said this would be addressed.
“We did raise with the registered manager that a summary of people's care would benefit staff to give them an outline of the person's background.” from the report
- 01How have you completed the review of mental capacity assessments and best-interest decisions since this inspection?
- 02How do you record and update each person's wishes about end of life care?
- 03What happens when there is last-minute staff sickness, and how do you make sure people's care is not affected?
- 04Do staff now have a clear summary of each person's background, preferences and care needs?
- 05How often is the manager visible and available to people and relatives?
This was an unannounced planned inspection of the overall service, including the premises and care, and it assessed all five CQC questions. This explanation was written from the published report of 18 December 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.
Every inspection of Knowle Park Nursing Home
3 rated inspections over 6 years: the service has held its Good rating throughout.
- October 2022Goodcurrent ratingstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- December 2019Goodstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- February 2017GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- November 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- July 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- July 2013
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 4 July 2013.
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.
Weigh the report against the rest
Fees, photos and reviews from families
How to read CQC ratings and reports
What to check when you visit
77 live-in carers within about an hour of Surrey
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 £1,250 a week. 66 can care for a couple. 11 years' experience on average.
“Without his support we wouldn't have been able to navigate bringing and keeping Dad at home.”
“Not only has she looked after him beautifully, she has also been great company for him with lively conversation, kindness and humour.”
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.