CQC report explained · a nursing home
What the CQC found at South Wold Nursing Home
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
What inspectors found, November 2021
South Wold Nursing Home was rated Good overall; inspectors found kind, personalised care and safe management, with some refurbishment and record-keeping still needed.
Inspectors visited unannounced on 28 September and 13 October 2021. They spoke with people living in the home, relatives and staff. They reviewed care records, recruitment files, audits and staff training information.
All five areas were rated Good: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. Inspectors found staff were kind, had enough time to care for people, managed medicines safely and understood people's individual needs and preferences.
The home had strengthened infection control during the COVID-19 pandemic. Inspectors found no one living in the home had become ill with COVID-19 during the pandemic. The home also had better quality checks than at the previous inspection.
The previous overall rating was Requires Improvement, published in January 2019. Safe and Well-led improved to Good, while Effective, Caring and Responsive remained Good.
Kind, personal care
Staff knew people well and adapted their support to individual needs, preferences and interests. Inspectors saw caring and thoughtful interactions.
“Staff were kind and caring and provided people with warm, person-centred care.” from the report
Strong infection control
The home made major changes to reduce the risk of COVID-19 entering and spreading. Inspectors found no one living in the home had become ill with COVID-19 during the pandemic.
“The registered manager had gone to considerable lengths to review and strengthen existing infection prevention and control measures in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.” from the report
Enough staff and safe medicines
Inspectors saw that staff had time to support people without rushing. Medicines records were completed accurately and staff competence was checked.
“Throughout our inspection, we saw staff had enough time to meet people's individual needs without rushing.” from the report
Improved leadership and checks
The home had introduced a wider range of audits and monitoring systems since the previous inspection. The manager was described as open, supportive and hands-on.
“Since our last inspection the provider had taken action to improve quality assurance processes.” from the report
Some areas need refurbishment
minorAlthough improvements had been made, inspectors found that some parts of the building still looked tired. Further redecoration was planned.
“Despite the recent investment, some parts of the home still looked 'tired' and in need of refurbishment.” from the report
- 01Which parts of the home have been refurbished since the inspection, and what work is still planned?
- 02How do you now record and check DBS checks for staff?
- 03How often are emergency evacuation plans reviewed, and do they describe the support my relative would need?
- 04How are each person's end-of-life wishes recorded and kept up to date?
- 05How will my relative's care plan, activities and personal interests be reviewed after they move in?
This was an unannounced inspection covering all five CQC questions, including infection prevention and control under Safe; Safe and Well-led improved from Requires Improvement, while the other three ratings remained Good. This explanation was written from the published report of 16 November 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.
What inspectors found, January 2019
Rated Requires Improvement; inspectors found major progress since the previous Inadequate inspection, but safety and management checks still needed.
Inspectors visited the home unannounced on 6 and 13 November 2018. They spoke with people living there, relatives and staff, observed care, and checked care records, medicines, recruitment files and quality checks.
The home had improved greatly since the previous inspection in January 2018, when it was rated Inadequate and placed in special measures. The four previous legal breaches had been addressed, and the home was no longer in special measures.
Inspectors still found some safety hazards, incomplete recruitment records and quality checks that did not always identify problems. Effective, caring and responsive care was rated Good. Safe and well-led were rated Requires Improvement.
Staffing had improved
The home had recruited more care staff and added administrative and activities support. Inspectors found enough staff to meet people's needs without rushing.
“At this inspection, we were pleased to find that the provider had acted to increase staffing.” from the report
Medicines were managed safely
Inspectors found that medicines were stored, administered and disposed of safely. Medicines were also reviewed regularly.
“We reviewed the arrangements for the storage, administration and disposal of people's medicines and found that these were now safe.” from the report
Kind and respectful care
Staff were caring and attentive, while supporting people's privacy, choices and independence.
“Everyone we spoke with told us that staff were caring and kind.” from the report
More activities
A new activities role provided communal and one-to-one activities, including music, crafts, walks and quizzes.
“People were provided with opportunities for physical and mental stimulation.” from the report
Good care planning
Care plans included people's histories, wishes and care needs. Senior staff reviewed them regularly.
“We looked at people's care plans and saw that they were well-organised and provided staff with information on the person's life history and their individual wishes and requirements” from the report
Remaining premises hazards
seriousInspectors found a slippery floor covering, an unprotected drop at a patio and out-of-date contents in two first aid boxes. The manager said action was needed.
“During our inspection we identified a small number of residual hazards including a slippery rubberised floor covering in an external seating area, a patio with an unprotected drop off on one side and two first aid boxes with out of date contents.” from the report
Recruitment records
needs fixingSome recruitment decisions were not recorded clearly enough, especially for self-employed contractors.
“When we reviewed staff employment records we found further action was required to improve the recording of some recruitment decisions, particularly those relating to people working as self-employed contractors.” from the report
- 01Have the slippery external floor, the unprotected patio drop and the out-of-date first aid box contents now been fixed?
- 02How do you check that environmental audits identify and resolve safety hazards?
- 03How are recruitment decisions for self-employed contractors recorded and checked?
- 04What is the current limit or process for new admissions under the remaining registration condition?
- 05How will you make sure the improvements made since the previous inspection continue?
This unannounced inspection considered all five CQC questions, using observations, discussions and records, and checked progress since the previous inspection. This explanation was written from the published report of 8 January 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 South Wold Nursing Home
6 rated inspections over 7 years: the service has improved, from Requires improvement to Good.
- November 2021Goodcurrent ratingup from Requires improvementSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- January 2019Requires improvementup from InadequateSafe: Requires improvementEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Requires improvement
- May 2018Inadequatedown from Requires improvementSafe: InadequateEffective: Requires improvementCaring: Requires improvementResponsive: Requires improvementWell-led: Inadequate
- April 2017Requires improvementstayed Requires improvementSafe: Requires improvement
- October 2016Requires improvementstayed Requires improvementSafe: Requires improvementEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Requires improvement
- March 2015Requires improvementSafe: Requires improvementEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Requires improvement
- July 2014
Report published without a new overall rating.
- July 2014
Report published without a new overall rating.
- July 2014
Report published without a new overall rating.
- July 2014
Report published without a new overall rating.
- August 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- April 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- March 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- January 2011
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 17 January 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.
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9 live-in carers within about an hour of Lincolnshire
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.
8 can care for a couple. 10 years' experience on average.
“Martin was more than a carer, he managed the home and became my uncle's best friend, enriching his life during his last few years.”
“Magda was always positive and proactive about trying new things to keep dad busy. She also introduced new ideas for keeping dad healthy.”
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.