CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at Walford Lodge
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
- Safe?
- Good
- People were protected from abuse and avoidable harm. Risks were assessed, medicines were generally managed safely and infection controls were effective, although some pain-relief records were not always clear.
- Effective?
- Good
- Care needs were assessed and reviewed, and staff had training for people's complex needs. People were supported with food, drinks, healthcare, college and activities.
- Caring?
- Good
- Staff knew people well, treated them with kindness and protected their dignity. People were supported to communicate, make day-to-day choices and develop independence.
- Responsive?
- Good
- Support was personalised and people were helped to take part in activities, attend college, maintain relationships and communicate in ways they could understand. A complaints process was available.
- Well-led?
- Good
- Staff worked well together and regular audits, meetings and newsletters were used to monitor quality and involve families. Staff said they were supported, although short staffing made things difficult at times.
What inspectors found, October 2019
Rated Good; inspectors found kind, personalised care, with staffing gaps and unclear records for some as-needed pain medicine.
This was the first inspection since the home registered. One inspector visited without giving notice on 29 August 2019. They spoke with two people, one relative and six staff, and checked care, medicine, recruitment, training and management records.
The home was rated Good in all five areas: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. Inspectors found people were protected from harm, received their medicines on time, and had care plans and staff training suited to their needs.
People were treated kindly and supported to make choices, communicate, stay in touch with family and take part in activities. Inspectors did note that shifts were often arranged at short notice because of vacancies, and some records did not clearly explain the reason for as-needed pain relief or whether it had worked.
Kind and respectful support
Staff knew people well, responded sensitively when they were upset and protected their dignity during personal care.
“People were supported by a staff team who knew them well and treated them with kindness.” from the report
Clear risk planning
Risk assessments were detailed, and pictures were used in some cases to help staff follow safe procedures.
“Risk assessments were detailed, and in several instances, pictures were used to ensure staff were clear on exactly how to mitigate risk.” from the report
Communication and choice
Staff used photographs, easy-read documents and communication devices to help people make choices and express their views.
“Documents had been produced as easy read and communication systems were in place in the home to try and support people to receive information in a way they could understand.” from the report
Promoting independence
People were encouraged to make choices and use aids that reduced the amount of staff help they needed.
“People were encouraged to maintain and develop their independence.” from the report
Vacancies and short-notice rotas
needs fixingThere were vacancies and rotas were often completed at short notice. Shifts were covered by relief staff or staff from other services, but families should check how this affects consistency.
“People were supported by sufficient numbers of staff although we found the rota was frequently completed at short notice due to a number of vacancies in the service.” from the report
As-needed pain medicine records
needs fixingRecords did not always show what pain staff were treating or whether the medicine had helped. This makes it important to ask how the recording system has been improved.
“Within the records it was not always clear what pain staff felt they were targeting and whether it was effective.” from the report
Recording personal information
minorInspectors asked the provider to include information about people's sexuality, including where it was not known, so this could be properly considered in care.
“We discussed with the provider the need to include information about people's sexuality, even if the response was that the sexuality was unknown.” from the report
- 01How many staff vacancies are there now, and how often are shifts covered by relief staff or staff from other services?
- 02How do you record the reason for giving as-needed pain relief and whether it worked?
- 03What is the current position on the applications to deprive people of their liberty that were awaiting local authority assessment?
- 04How will you make sure communication tools, easy-read information and photographs are tailored to my relative?
- 05How do you record and consider personal information, including sexuality, in each person's care plan?
This was an unannounced first inspection covering all five CQC questions, including both the care provided and the care home premises. This explanation was written from the published report of 8 October 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 Walford Lodge
Each visit the CQC has published, newest first, back to the day the home was registered.
- October 2019Goodcurrent ratingSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- August 2018
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 16 August 2018.
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
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57 live-in carers within about an hour of Shropshire
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 £960 to £1,230 a week. 52 can care for a couple. 9 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.