CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at Wolborough Court
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
- Safe?
- Good
- People were protected from avoidable harm, and risks, medicines, recruitment checks and infection control were managed appropriately. However, staffing feedback was mixed, including a concern that someone had not always been checked regularly enough.
- Effective?
- Good
- Staff were trained and supported, people were helped to access health professionals, and care followed the Mental Capacity Act. People were supported with suitable food and diets.
- Caring?
- Good
- Inspectors observed kind, respectful and compassionate interactions. Staff knew people's preferences and encouraged choice, independence, privacy and dignity.
- Responsive?
- Good
- Care plans were personal, up to date and used by staff. People were supported with activities, communication, family relationships, complaints and end of life wishes.
- Well-led?
- Good
- The management team used audits, meetings and a service improvement plan to monitor and improve care. Staff described communication and support positively, and people's views were used to shape the service.
What inspectors found, February 2022
Wolborough Court rated Good; inspectors found kind, person-centred care, but staffing had been difficult and views about regular checks were mixed.
This was the first inspection since the home registered. It was unannounced and took place on 08 December 2021 and 04 January 2022. Inspectors spoke with people, relatives and staff, observed care, and checked care, medicine, staffing and management records.
The home was rated Good in all five areas: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. Inspectors found people were treated with kindness and respect, received personalised care, had their medicines managed safely, and were supported with food, healthcare, activities and relationships.
Staffing was the main area of mixed feedback. The home had faced staff leaving, recruitment problems and sickness. Inspectors found staffing was adequate during the inspection, and the home said it had recruited more staff since the visit. The report also records a previous concern about someone not being checked often enough, which the home addressed with manager floor checks.
Kind and respectful care
Inspectors saw staff treating people with kindness, compassion and respect. Staff understood people's individual needs and preferences.
“Staff relationships with people were caring and supportive. Staff spoke confidently about people's specific needs and how they liked to be supported.” from the report
Personalised care records
Care files included people's histories, preferences and detailed support needs. Staff said the plans helped them provide consistent care.
“People's care plans provided detail of people's individual care and support needs.” from the report
Safe medicines practice
Medicines were stored securely, records were signed correctly, and checks were used to make sure medicines were given as prescribed.
“Medicines administration records were appropriately signed by staff when administering a person's medicines.” from the report
Good staff training
Staff completed induction, training and supervision. Training included safeguarding, moving and handling, first aid and topics linked to people's needs.
“Staff received training, which enabled them to feel confident in meeting people's needs and recognising changes in people's health.” from the report
Listening and improving
The home held meetings, gathered feedback and used audits to identify actions. Inspectors found that actions were followed up.
“Where actions were needed, these had been followed up. For example, care plans and risk assessments had been updated.” from the report
Staffing pressures
needs fixingThe home had experienced staff departures, recruitment difficulties and last-minute sickness. Feedback about staffing was mixed, including concern that agency staff might not know people well and that one person had not always been checked regularly.
“Staffing levels at Wolborough Court are very poor at the moment, whilst we are working to improve this it is very challenging.” from the report
- 01How many permanent staff are now working at the home, following the recruitment mentioned in the report?
- 02How often are agency staff used, and how are they helped to learn about each person's needs and preferences?
- 03How do manager floor checks work, and how are you checking that people are being checked as often as their care plans require?
- 04Is the manager now registered with the CQC, as the report said the registration process was still under way?
- 05How are people and relatives involved in reviewing care plans, activities, food and visiting arrangements?
This was the home's first planned, unannounced inspection and covered all five CQC questions, including infection prevention and control; there was no previous rating to carry over. This explanation was written from the published report of 9 February 2022 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 Wolborough Court
2 rated inspections over 5 years: the service has held its Good rating throughout.
- February 2022Goodcurrent ratingstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- April 2017GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- September 2019
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 18 September 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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17 live-in carers within about an hour of Devon
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 £1,270 a week. 15 can care for a couple. 13 years' experience on average.
“She is such a warm and gentle person while being professional and competent at the same time.”
“She looked after my mum, who can be incredibly challenging, so well and so gently, and we always felt confident that my mum was getting the best care available.”
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.