CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at Wingates Residential Home
Rated Requires improvement: inspectors found the home was not performing as well as it should and told it what to change.
What inspectors found, November 2019
Wingates Residential Home was rated Good; inspectors found safe, kind and responsive care, but records and audits were not always completed consistently.
Two inspectors made an unannounced visit on 22 October 2019. They spoke with people living at the home, relatives and staff. They observed care and checked care files, medicine records, staff recruitment and training records, safety information and management records.
The home was rated Good overall and Good in all five areas: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. Inspectors found enough staff, safe medicine systems, a clean environment and appropriate risk assessments. People were treated with dignity, offered choices and supported with food, activities, communication and healthcare.
Some records and checks were not completed consistently. Care files needed clearer and more complete information, food and fluid charts needed more detail, and the in-house induction was described as very basic. The home had improved since the previous inspection, including its environment and its Effective rating, which rose from Requires Improvement to Good.
Safe care systems
Inspectors found safeguarding arrangements, suitable staff training, regular risk assessments and safe medicine systems. Staffing levels were sufficient for people's needs.
“The service had systems to follow to keep people safe and staff had appropriate training.” from the report
Kind and respectful staff
People and relatives spoke positively about staff. Inspectors saw people looking well cared for and staff respecting their dignity and privacy.
“People told us they were treated well and we saw that people were well presented and were laughing and chatting with each other and the staff throughout the day.” from the report
Activities and choice
The home offered different activities and supported people to make choices about food, routines, clothes and interests. People’s religious, spiritual and cultural beliefs were also supported.
“Various activities were on offer at the home, including singalongs, card games, armchair exercises, memory games, pet therapy visits and parachute games.” from the report
Improved environment
Problems identified at the previous inspection, including poor lighting and worn flooring, had been addressed. The home had new furnishings, flooring and lighting, with further improvements planned.
“These issues had been addressed with new furnishings, flooring and lighting and the environment was much improved.” from the report
Supportive leadership
Staff said the new registered manager was supportive and helpful. Residents' and relatives' meetings were held regularly and their feedback was used to consider changes.
“Staff members we spoke with felt the new registered manager was supportive and helpful. They reported positive changes in recent months.” from the report
Inconsistent audits
needs fixingThe home carried out several audits, but they were not completed consistently. Inspectors recommended recording all issues, actions and completion dates in a consistent way.
“The audits were completed inconsistently, some included better and more complete information than others.” from the report
Care records not always complete
needs fixingCare files contained substantial information, but staff did not always complete them consistently. The registered manager was updating the paperwork and addressing this.
“Care files included a comprehensive assessment and a range of health and personal information. However, these could have been more consistently completed.” from the report
Basic staff induction
needs fixingNew staff were working towards the Care Certificate, but the home's own induction was very basic. The registered manager agreed that it needed improvement.
“However, the in-house induction to the service was very basic.” from the report
Food and fluid records
needs fixingFood and fluid charts were adequate but did not record amounts consumed in enough detail. The registered manager agreed to improve this.
“These were adequate but needed to be more detailed to be more accurate about amounts consumed.” from the report
- 01What changes have been made to ensure every audit records the issue, the action needed and the completion date?
- 02How do you now check that care plans and other care records are completed fully and consistently?
- 03What does the improved in-house induction now include for new staff?
- 04How are food and fluid charts completed for people who need their intake monitored?
- 05Have the menu changes requested by residents been completed, and how are staffing levels checked at weekends?
This was an unannounced comprehensive inspection covering all five CQC questions, with observations, discussions and checks of care, medicine, staffing, safety and management records. This explanation was written from the published report of 20 November 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.
What inspectors found, April 2017
Rated Good overall; inspectors found safe, kind and responsive care, but the service was rated Requires Improvement for effectiveness because parts of the building and furnishings needed attention.
The inspection was unannounced on 2 March 2017. Inspectors spoke with people living at the home, relatives, staff and health professionals. They observed care and reviewed care plans, staff records, training, safety records and audits.
People were supported by enough staff and medicines were managed safely. Inspectors found kind and respectful care, good support at the end of life, activities, choices and appropriate handling of complaints.
The main weakness was the condition of parts of the building. Some lighting, decoration, furniture, beds, mattresses, curtains and bedding needed attention. Free-standing wardrobes in some bedrooms had not been secured and could have fallen over.
The overall rating was Good. The home had improved from Requires Improvement at the November 2015 inspection, but effectiveness remained Requires Improvement because the environment was not consistently suitable or well maintained.
Safe staffing and medicines
Inspectors found enough staff to meet people's needs, with staffing adjusted when needs changed. Medicines were ordered, stored, given and disposed of safely.
“There was an appropriate medicines policy and procedure in place. We saw that the medication systems were effective and medicines were ordered, stored, administered and disposed of safely.” from the report
Kind and respectful care
People and relatives described staff as caring. Inspectors observed friendly interactions and found that staff respected people's privacy and dignity.
“We observed that there was a friendly and relaxed atmosphere within the home. Staff interaction was good and people were spoken in a kind and respectful way.” from the report
Personalised support
Care plans recorded people's histories, likes, dislikes, routines and interests. People were offered choices and supported to follow their own interests.
“Care plans included a life story book where background history, likes and dislikes, hobbies and interests and information about family and friends was recorded.” from the report
Good management and improvement work
The manager was seen as approachable and supportive. Audits, staff meetings and supervision were used to identify and act on improvements.
“We saw a number of checks and audits within the service. These included monthly medicines audits, infection control audits, falls, incidents and accidents audits.” from the report
Condition of the building and furnishings
needs fixingThe older part of the home looked neglected. Lighting, decoration, furniture, beds, mattresses, curtains and bedding needed attention, which led to the Requires Improvement rating for effectiveness.
“The rooms in this area required attention to the decoration, fittings and furnishings. Paintwork was scuffed and chipped off and some wallpaper was peeling off.” from the report
Unsecured wardrobes
seriousFree-standing wardrobes in several bedrooms were not attached to the wall. Inspectors considered that they could fall onto people, and the manager agreed to take action.
“These were not attached to the wall and posed a risk to people who used the service as they could have been easily pulled over on top of them.” from the report
Confidential information was accessible
minorConfidential information about people and relatives was displayed in a hallway where visitors could see it. The manager removed it during the inspection.
“Visitors to the home had access to this information which was not appropriate. This was removed by the registered manager during the inspection.” from the report
- 01Have all free-standing wardrobes now been secured, and when was this checked?
- 02What improvements have been made to the poor lighting, particularly in areas used by people living with dementia?
- 03Which beds, mattresses, curtains and bedding have been replaced since the inspection?
- 04How do you make sure confidential information cannot be seen by visitors?
- 05How are people's preferences, dietary needs and interests kept up to date in their care plans?
This was an unannounced inspection of the overall service, covering all five CQC questions and reviewing care, staffing, records, premises and management. This explanation was written from the published report of 12 April 2017 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 Wingates Residential Home
4 rated inspections over 5 years: the service has improved, from Requires improvement to Good.
- November 2019Goodcurrent ratingstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- April 2017Goodup from Requires improvementSafe: GoodEffective: Requires improvementCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- December 2015Requires improvementstayed Requires improvementSafe: Requires improvementEffective: Requires improvementCaring: GoodResponsive: Requires improvementWell-led: Good
- April 2015Requires improvementSafe: GoodEffective: Requires improvementCaring: Requires improvementResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- November 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- March 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- December 2011
Report published without a new overall rating.
- November 2010
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 30 November 2010.
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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