CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at The Paddocks
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
What inspectors found, February 2019
The Paddocks was rated Good overall, but inspectors found fire safety, staff training and legal safeguards needed improvement.
This was an unannounced, comprehensive inspection on 21 November 2018. One inspector reviewed care records, staff files, training records and management records. They spoke with five people living at the home and observed how people and staff interacted.
The home was rated Good overall and was rated Good for Safe, Caring and Responsive. Inspectors found enough staff, safe medicines systems, personalised care plans and caring relationships. People said they felt safe and were happy living there.
The report has an inconsistency about Effective. The ratings page says Good, but the detailed Effective section rates it Requires Improvement. Inspectors found out-of-date staff training and no mental capacity assessments for people. Well-led was rated Requires Improvement because checks had not identified fire safety and training problems.
Safe medicines
Medicines were ordered, stored and given safely. Staff used medicine administration records to record doses.
“People's medicines were managed safely. The systems in place for the management of medicines were in line with safe practice.” from the report
Enough staff
Inspectors found enough safely recruited staff to meet people's needs and keep them safe.
“There were sufficient numbers of safely recruited staff to support people.” from the report
Caring relationships
People and staff knew each other well, and inspectors saw positive relationships. People were encouraged to maintain friendships and links with the community.
“Staff employed externally of the family were well known to people and observations showed positive relationships had been developed.” from the report
Personalised support
Care plans described what mattered to each person, what they could do independently and what they liked or disliked.
“Care plans contained details of what people could do for themselves and what they liked and disliked as well as what was important to them.” from the report
Fire safety checks
seriousThe fire risk assessment had not identified important safety problems. The report says building improvements were still needed to meet fire safety requirements.
“The lack of an appropriate and suitable fire risk assessment to identify any shortfalls in the fire safety system placed people at risk of potential harm.” from the report
Out-of-date staff training
needs fixingSome staff did not have current safeguarding, first aid or medicines training. The provider said action was taken after the inspection.
“This meant that people were supported by some staff that may not have had the knowledge needed to be able to fulfil their role.” from the report
Mental capacity safeguards
seriousThe home had not completed mental capacity assessments. One person was under constant supervision and could not freely leave, but no DoLS application had been made.
“There were no mental capacity assessments completed and the provider told us no DoLS applications had been submitted” from the report
Limited choice at meals
minorMost people were served the same meal and were not offered a choice. The report says this was usual practice in the family-style setting.
“People were not offered a choice; however, this was usual practice and part of the family life at The Paddocks.” from the report
- 01Has all the fire safety work identified by the fire service been completed, and has the fire service carried out its planned reinspection?
- 02Does every member of staff now have up-to-date safeguarding, first aid and medicines training?
- 03Has the home completed mental capacity assessments for people who may not be able to make particular decisions?
- 04Has the home applied for DoLS authorisation where someone is under constant supervision and cannot freely leave?
- 05How are people offered genuine choices about meals and how is the provider's new audit system checking this?
This was an unannounced comprehensive inspection covering all five key questions; the overall rating remained Good, while Well-led changed from Good at the May 2016 inspection to Requires Improvement and the detailed Effective findings also say Requires Improvement. This explanation was written from the published report of 7 February 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 The Paddocks
2 rated inspections over 3 years: the service has held its Good rating throughout.
- February 2019Goodcurrent ratingstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Requires improvement
- June 2016GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- December 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- November 2012
Report published without a new overall rating.
- February 2012
Report published without a new overall rating.
- January 2011
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 5 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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23 live-in carers within about an hour of Suffolk
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 £1,260 a week. 17 can care for a couple. 7 years' experience on average.
“Not only was she professional, polite and efficient but she bought a lovely smile and laughter to my parents home.”
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.