CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at The Belmont
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
What inspectors found, September 2023
The Belmont was rated Good overall; inspectors found safe, kind and personalised care, with some medicine recording gaps corrected during the visit.
This was the home’s first comprehensive inspection since it registered. It was unannounced and took place on 1 and 2 August 2023. Inspectors spoke with people, relatives, staff and health professionals, and reviewed care, medicine and management records.
All five areas were rated Good: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. People said they felt safe and well cared for. Inspectors found trained staff, detailed care plans, good support with food and healthcare, and respectful care.
The home offered varied activities, outings and links with the local community. People and relatives were involved in decisions about care and activities. End of life care was described as compassionate, with support also offered to families.
Inspectors found some gaps and errors in medicine records and in records for medicines given when needed. The manager dealt with these straight away. There were no breaches of regulations recorded in the report.
Kind and respectful care
People and relatives were positive about the care. Inspectors saw staff treating people with dignity and responding in a warm and compassionate way.
“People and their relatives were all positive about the standard of care provided by The Belmont.” from the report
Personalised care
Care plans included people's needs, preferences and life histories. Staff used this information to support individual choices and routines.
“Care records were detailed, and person centred.” from the report
Activities and community links
The home supported people to keep their interests and relationships. It offered activities, outings, cafés and links with local organisations.
“The service had developed links in the community which enabled people to continue their interests and be involved in new ones.” from the report
Compassionate end of life support
People nearing the end of life received care that included their wishes. Families could also receive accommodation, food and support.
“People who were reaching the end of their life were cared for with love and compassion, and support was extended to their families and loved ones.” from the report
Supportive management
Inspectors found an open culture, regular checks and meetings, and managers who supported staff and monitored the quality of care.
“There was a robust system in place to monitor the safety and quality of care and support provided.” from the report
Medicine records
needs fixingInspectors found gaps in medicine records and errors in protocols for medicines given when needed. The manager addressed these issues immediately, but families should ask how the improvements were maintained.
“We saw some gaps on medicine records and recording errors on 'as required' medicine protocols.” from the report
- 01What checks have been completed since the inspection to make sure medicine records are now accurate?
- 02How are staff checked as competent to give medicines, including medicines given when needed?
- 03How will you involve my relative in reviewing their care plan and preferences?
- 04What activities and community links would be available for my relative, based on their interests?
- 05How would the home support our family if my relative needed end of life care?
This was the first comprehensive inspection since registration and covered all five key questions, including infection prevention and control under Safe. This explanation was written from the published report of 20 September 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 The Belmont
Each visit the CQC has published, newest first, back to the day the home was registered.
- September 2023Goodcurrent ratingSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- November 2021
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 15 November 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.
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
At least 100 live-in carers within about an hour of Worcestershire
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 £1,260 a week. 85 can care for a couple. 9 years' experience on average.
“I have never met a person who is so kind and thinks about others before himself to such an extent as Chris Malagala.”
“She was very caring, kind and patient to all his needs, she built up a wondetful rapport with him, she was dedicated and was there for him through good times as well as through the tough times”
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.