CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at Wellcroft House
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
- Safe?
- Good
- Staff understood how to protect people from abuse, manage risks and give medicines safely. However, a recent safeguarding incident had not been handled properly by the previous manager, and accident records did not always clearly show follow-up action.
- Effective?
- Good
- Staff had induction, training and supervision. People's dietary, health, communication and care needs were understood. Mental capacity assessments were not always completed or updated before DoLS applications.
- Caring?
- Good
- Inspectors saw kind and positive interactions. People were offered choices, treated with dignity and supported to be as independent as possible.
- Responsive?
- Good
- Care plans were detailed, reviewed in good time and developed with relatives. People were supported with communication, activities, friendships and contact with family.
- Well-led?
- Good
- The new manager was approachable and quality checks were in place. The provider acted quickly after the safeguarding issue, although the manager had only been in post for two weeks at the inspection.
What inspectors found, March 2020
Rated Good; inspectors found kind, person-centred care, but a safeguarding incident and some capacity records needed attention.
This was an unannounced inspection on 20 February 2020. One inspector spoke with staff, managers and a visiting professional. They observed care, checked two people's records, medicines records, recruitment files and the home's quality checks. They also spoke with three relatives by telephone.
The home was rated Good in all five areas: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. Inspectors found people were treated kindly, supported to make choices and helped to stay independent. Staff understood people's needs, medicines were given appropriately, and relatives were generally positive about the care.
There had been a safeguarding incident that the previous manager had not handled properly. The provider took immediate action, including changing some of the staff team. Inspectors also found that mental capacity assessments were not always completed or updated before DoLS applications, and accident records did not always show what action had followed.
Kind and respectful care
Inspectors saw warm, positive relationships between staff and residents. Relatives said privacy, dignity and compassion were maintained.
“We saw positive interactions between staff members and people using the service.” from the report
Personalised support
Care plans included people's preferences, health needs and ways of communicating. Staff supported choice, independence and individual interests.
“Care plans included but were not limited to; information on what was important to the person, things they liked and disliked, personal care needs, medical and health information and emotional behaviour.” from the report
Good staff preparation
Staff received an induction, the care certificate, regular supervision and ongoing training. Recruitment checks had been completed.
“We saw new staff completed the care certificate as part of their induction.” from the report
Activities and family involvement
People took part in activities linked to their interests and were supported to build friendships and maintain family relationships.
“Relationships with family members was encouraged where appropriate and we saw letters sent into the service by relatives thanking staff for helping their loved ones choose presents for them for special occasions.” from the report
Past safeguarding failure
seriousA recent safeguarding incident was not handled properly by the previous manager. The provider took immediate action, including removing some staff from the home and reminding staff of their responsibilities.
“A recent safeguarding incident had not been dealt with appropriately by the previous registered manager.” from the report
Mental capacity records
needs fixingCapacity assessments were not always completed or updated before DoLS applications. The manager said this would be corrected, and inspectors found that nobody was being unlawfully deprived of their liberty.
“However, we found that whilst DoLS applications were being completed, assessments of capacity were not always updated or carried out prior to the application.” from the report
Accident follow-up records
needs fixingAccidents and incidents were dealt with, but records did not always clearly show what had been done afterwards to reduce future risk.
“However, there was not a clear audit trail on accident forms to provide information on subsequent actions carried out to mitigate future risk.” from the report
New manager still settling in
minorThe manager had only been in post for two weeks when the inspection took place. The manager's CQC registration application was still in progress.
“The new manager had only been in place for two weeks at the time of the inspection.” from the report
- 01What safeguarding training has been completed since the incident, and how do managers now check that concerns are reported promptly?
- 02How are mental capacity assessments completed and updated before any DoLS application is made?
- 03How do you record what action follows an accident or incident, and who checks that future risks have been reduced?
- 04How will the new manager's progress and registration with CQC be monitored?
- 05How will you involve our relative and family in care plan reviews and decisions about activities and communication?
This was a planned but unannounced inspection covering all five ratings, the premises and care; inspectors could not speak directly with people living at the home and used observation instead, and this was the first inspection under the new provider. This explanation was written from the published report of 28 March 2020 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 Wellcroft House
3 rated inspections over 4 years: the service has held its Good rating throughout.
- March 2020Goodcurrent ratingstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- February 2019Goodstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- May 2016GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- April 2019
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 1 April 2019.
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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