CQC report explained · a nursing home
What the CQC found at The Cambridgeshire Care Home
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
- Safe?
- Good
- Inspectors found enough suitably trained staff, safe medicines systems, risk assessments and safeguarding arrangements. Infection prevention and control arrangements were also found to be suitable.
- Effective?
- Good
- People's needs were assessed and care plans gave staff information about how to support them. Staff had training and supervision, and people were supported with food, drink, equipment and healthcare appointments.
- Caring?
- Good
- Staff treated people with kindness, patience and respect. People were supported to make choices, stay as independent as possible and have their privacy and dignity maintained.
- Responsive?
- Good
- Care was personalised and plans were reviewed with people and their representatives. People had access to activities, visits and complaint processes, although one relative said activities for men were limited.
- Well-led?
- Good
- Inspectors found the home was well run, with clear staff roles, supportive management and detailed quality checks. Feedback, incidents and complaints were used to identify improvements.
What inspectors found, December 2022
Rated Good; inspectors found safe, kind and well-managed care, with some activities for men still limited.
This was an unannounced inspection on 2 and 10 November 2022. Inspectors spoke with eight people living at the home, seven relatives and eight staff. They reviewed care records, medicines records, staff recruitment files and records about incidents, complaints and how the home was managed.
Inspectors found that people were safe and received their medicines, food, care and healthcare support as needed. Staff were described as calm, kind and respectful. People had choices, personalised care and opportunities for activities and visits. One relative said activities for men were limited, and staff said they were looking at introducing more male-focused activities.
The home was rated Good overall and Good in all five areas: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. Its previous overall rating was also Good in March 2018. The Safe rating improved from Requires Improvement to Good, while the other ratings remained Good.
Enough staff
Inspectors found that staffing levels met people's care and support needs. People and relatives said staff responded quickly.
“There were enough staff to meet peoples care and support needs.” from the report
Kind and respectful care
Staff were patient and compassionate. They supported people to make choices and remain independent while keeping them safe.
“Staff were calm, kind and gentle in their interactions with people and supported them to remain independent whilst maintain their safety and welfare.” from the report
Good management checks
Managers carried out audits and used action plans to improve the service. They also considered feedback, incidents and complaints.
“The regional manager and registered manager had carried out detailed quality assurance visits and audits with clear action plans for improvements.” from the report
Personalised support
Care plans included information about people's health, daily needs and preferences. Staff were able to describe the people they supported and how best to help them.
“People received personalised care responsive to their needs by staff who knew them well.” from the report
Activities for men
minorOne relative said activities for men were limited. Staff told inspectors they were considering more male-focused activities and had discussed this with men living at the home.
“Although one relative commented that activities for the men are limited.” from the report
- 01What male-focused activities are now available, and how do you check that activities match each person's interests?
- 02How will you keep my relative's care plan up to date and involve us in regular reviews?
- 03How do you check that there are enough suitably trained staff for people's needs at all times?
- 04How are medicines checked to make sure they are given as prescribed and recorded correctly?
- 05How would you involve my relative and our family in decisions about healthcare, capacity and any Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards application?
This was an unannounced inspection covering all five key questions, including infection prevention and control under Safe; the report says the overall rating remained Good since March 2018, while Safe improved from Requires Improvement to Good. This explanation was written from the published report of 16 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.
What inspectors found, March 2021
Inspected but not rated; inspectors were assured that infection prevention and control measures were in place.
This was an announced, targeted inspection on 4 March 2021. It was carried out during the coronavirus pandemic to check infection prevention and control measures.
Inspectors were assured that the home was using protective equipment safely, managing visitors, supporting testing, and following shielding and social distancing rules. They were also assured that the home could prevent and manage infection outbreaks.
The home had created screened visiting areas and used social media to help residents stay in touch with family and friends. The report gives no overall quality rating because this was a focused inspection.
Safer family visits
The home had created screened areas so residents and family members could visit safely.
“Two purpose-built screened areas had been created on the ground floor to allow people and their family members to visit each other safely.” from the report
Keeping in touch
The home offered social media platforms and gave residents IT training to help them stay connected with friends and family.
“The home provided several social media platforms to help people stay in touch with their friends and families.” from the report
Infection control
Inspectors were assured that the home had arrangements covering visitors, PPE, testing, hygiene and infection outbreaks.
“We were assured that the provider was making sure infection outbreaks can be effectively prevented or managed.” from the report
Support for vaccination
The manager provided information and education for staff who were worried about vaccination.
“The manager had worked hard to provide up to date information and education to staff who were nervous or anxious about being vaccinated.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01How are screened visits arranged now, and what happens if a resident or visitor has symptoms of infection?
- 02How do you currently manage testing for residents and staff?
- 03What protective equipment and infection control training do staff receive?
- 04How would you manage an infection outbreak in the home?
- 05How can residents who cannot have ordinary visits keep in touch with their families?
This was a targeted inspection of infection prevention and control under Safe; the other areas were not assessed and the service was not rated. This explanation was written from the published report of 13 March 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.
Every inspection of The Cambridgeshire Care Home
2 rated inspections over 5 years: the service has held its Good rating throughout.
- December 2022Goodcurrent ratingSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
Read what inspectors found at The Cambridgeshire Care Home →
- March 2021Inspected but not ratedSafe: Inspected but not rated
Read what inspectors found at The Cambridgeshire Care Home →
- March 2018GoodSafe: Requires improvementEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- December 2016
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 13 December 2016.
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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17 live-in carers within about an hour of Cambridgeshire
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 £1,020 to £1,200 a week. 14 can care for a couple. 12 years' experience on average.
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.