CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at Wimborne
Rated Requires improvement: inspectors found the home was not performing as well as it should and told it what to change.
What inspectors found, October 2023
Requires Improvement; inspectors found unsafe medicines and risk management, although staff were kind and responsive.
This was an unannounced focused inspection on 17 and 18 August 2023. Inspectors looked only at Safe and Well-led. They spoke with people, relatives, staff and health and social care professionals, and checked medicines, records, staffing and quality checks.
The home was not always safe. Medicines were not always given as prescribed, instructions were sometimes incomplete, and risk assessments did not always contain enough information. Some incidents were not investigated promptly and seven historic safeguarding concerns had not been reported to the relevant agencies as required.
The home was also not consistently well-led. Quality checks had missed important problems with medicines, assessments and risk plans. There were positive findings too, including kind care, activities, effective staff deployment and suitable infection control arrangements.
The overall rating changed from Good at the previous inspection in 2019 to Requires Improvement. The provider must send an action plan, and the CQC will monitor progress with the provider and local authority.
Staff responded promptly
Inspectors found enough staff deployed during the visit and saw staff respond to people's needs in a timely way.
“During our inspection we observed staff responding to people's needs in a timely way.” from the report
Kind and welcoming care
People and relatives gave positive feedback about staff's kindness and the welcome for visitors.
“Feedback about the visiting arrangements was positive and all relatives said they felt welcome at the service.” from the report
Activities and engagement
People were offered different activities, and inspectors saw positive interactions between staff and people.
“People were provided with opportunities to participate in activities including ball games, singing and board games.” from the report
Safe recruitment
The home completed pre-employment checks, including DBS checks, before staff started work.
“Staff were recruited safely and pre-employment checks were completed before staff commenced in post.” from the report
Infection control
Inspectors were assured that the home had suitable arrangements for preventing and managing infection.
“We were assured that the provider was using PPE effectively and safely.” from the report
Medicines were not consistently safe
seriousInstructions for some medicines were incomplete, records referred to another person, and some medicines were not given as prescribed. Inspectors said this increased the risk of administration errors.
“We were not assured that people consistently received their medicines as prescribed.” from the report
Risk assessments were incomplete
seriousSome people's risks had not been fully identified or recorded. This included risks linked to diabetes and anxiety-related behaviour.
“Pre-admission assessments and care records had not always been fully completed therefore guidance to support people to stay safe were not comprehensive.” from the report
Incidents and safeguarding notifications
seriousSome incidents were not investigated promptly and required notifications were not always sent to the CQC, local authority and safeguarding agencies. Seven historic safeguarding concerns were reported retrospectively.
“Seven historic safeguarding concerns had not been notified as required.” from the report
Quality checks missed problems
needs fixingThe home's governance systems did not consistently identify medicines errors, incomplete assessments or missing risk plans.
“Quality checks had not always been used effectively to identify shortfalls, errors and omissions.” from the report
- 01What changes have been made to ensure medicines are given at the correct dose and at the correct times?
- 02How are 'as required' medicines and variable doses now recorded and reviewed?
- 03How do you make sure every person's risks, including diabetes and anxiety-related behaviour, are fully assessed and kept up to date?
- 04How are safeguarding incidents and other notifiable events now investigated and reported on time?
- 05What evidence can you show that the action plan from this inspection has been completed?
This was an unannounced focused inspection of Safe and Well-led only; the ratings for Effective, Caring and Responsive were carried forward from the previous inspection. This explanation was written from the published report of 11 October 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.
What inspectors found, September 2019
Rated Good; inspectors found safe, kind and person-centred care, with one promptly corrected concern about thickened fluids.
This was a planned inspection. Two inspectors visited on 16 and 17 July 2019. The first day was unannounced and the second was announced. They spoke with people living in the home, relatives, staff and health professionals. They also observed care and checked care, medicine, staff and management records.
The home supported up to 52 older people, including people living with dementia. At the inspection, 45 people were living there. Inspectors found enough staff, safe medicines systems, clean surroundings and good care planning. People told inspectors they felt safe and were treated kindly.
All five areas were rated Good: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. The report says the home had a positive, person-centred culture, a wide range of activities and good links with health professionals and the local community.
The overall rating was unchanged from the previous inspection, published on 1 March 2017. Inspectors said one unclear instruction about thickened fluids was corrected promptly by the manager.
Safe staffing and medicines
Inspectors found enough staff to meet people's needs and effective systems for receiving, storing, giving and disposing of medicines.
“People told us they felt safe, medicines were stored safely and there were enough staff to meet people's needs.” from the report
Kind and respectful care
Staff knew people well and provided care that was positive, sensitive and personalised. People were supported to make choices and maintain their dignity.
“This demonstrated staff interactions were positive, sensitive and personalised.” from the report
Personalised activities
The home offered activities linked to people's interests and supported individual wishes, including gardening, outings and music.
“There was a wide variety of activities to engage people in.” from the report
Good leadership and teamwork
Inspectors found a stable management team, an open culture and regular involvement of people, relatives and staff in improving the home.
“The service had a positive person-centred culture.” from the report
Unclear thickened-fluid instructions
needs fixingA speech and language therapy assessment did not clearly explain at what stage fluids should be thickened. The manager corrected this promptly, but the family should ask how similar instructions are now checked.
“However, there was some confusion about a speech and language therapy assessment the report did not clearly identify what stage fluids should be thickened.” from the report
- 01How do you now make sure speech and language therapy instructions about thickened fluids are clear and followed?
- 02How will you assess and update my relative's individual risks and care plan?
- 03Which activities and outings could be matched to my relative's interests and abilities?
- 04How will you involve my relative and our family in decisions about care and future wishes?
- 05How can we raise a complaint or concern, and how will you keep us informed of the outcome?
This was a planned inspection covering all five CQC questions, and the home and the care provided were both looked at. This explanation was written from the published report of 11 September 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 Wimborne
4 rated inspections over 8 years: the service has held its Requires improvement rating throughout.
- October 2023Requires improvementcurrent ratingdown from GoodSafe: Requires improvementEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Requires improvement
- September 2019Goodstayed GoodSafe: GoodWell-led: Good
- March 2017Goodup from Requires improvementSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- November 2015Requires improvementSafe: Requires improvementEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: Requires improvementWell-led: Requires improvement
- May 2014
Report published without a new overall rating.
- November 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- September 2012
Report published without a new overall rating.
- May 2011
Report published without a new overall rating.
- February 2011
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 15 February 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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26 live-in carers within about an hour of Hampshire
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. 23 can care for a couple. 14 years' experience on average.
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“He stayed with her throughout the pandemic, refusing to visit his own family, who lived nearby, to reduce the risk of infection.”
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