Wellburn House

Updated 1 April 2026

Date of assessment: From 6 May 2026 to 5 June 2026.

This assessment was carried out due to the length of time since we last inspected the service. We visited the service on 6 and 14 May 2026.

Wellburn House is a care home providing residential and dementia care for up to 35 people over 65 years old. At the time of the assessment, 28 people were living at the home.

The service was also registered to provide support to people with needs arising from substance misuse. However, there were no people receiving care and support with these needs at the time of our assessment.

During our assessment, we found several areas where improvements were required.

On the first day we visited the service, we identified the service did not always provide a homely environment where people were safe and comfortable. Environmental safety, cleanliness, infection prevention and control practice and medicines management needed improvement.

A shared culture was not embedded within the service. Managerial oversight did not always lead to best outcomes for people. Governance processes did not always identify issues in the home in a timely or consistent manner. Learning opportunities were not always identified or did not always translate into improvements.

Care was not always delivered in line with people’s assessed needs or preferences. There was mixed feedback from healthcare professionals regarding effective communication and care standards.

The registered manager was receptive to our feedback following day 1 and took steps to address these issues. There were noted improvements when we returned on the second day.

We observed a number of positive care interactions. Staff were kind, sensitive and thoughtful towards those they cared for. People were supported to maintain their independence through personal choice and control. The provider had a helpful staff support programme which promoted their wellbeing. There were enough trained and competent staff to meet people’s needs.

People and their families were involved in care and treatment decisions. The service worked with healthcare partners to meet people’s care needs and there was a varied and meaningful activities programme to support social wellbeing and community integration. Staff were confident about raising concerns and the service was keen to do the best for people.

The registered manager demonstrated a commitment to make improvements and learn. However, we were not fully assured about the sustainability of the improvements or best practices being embedded.

The provider was in breach of 2 legal regulations in relation to effective monitoring of safety and outcomes for people, safe environment, infection control processes and medicines management.

Updated 1 April 2026

There were occasions where people did not feel safe in the home which made them feel vulnerable and unsettled.

One person commented about an unpleasant experience at night which had unsettled them. The person told us they informed the registered manager who reassured them and took steps to prevent recurrence.

Relatives were not always assured people were safe in the home. A relative told us they had to bring some care concerns to the attention of the registered manager and there had been no further incidents reported.

Most people spoke positively about the care they received and described the approach of staff to be “kind and considerate.” One person told us, “The staff care a lot about my loved one.” Relatives felt welcomed and well received into the home. Comments included, “They treat me very well.” However, we received some feedback which indicated a lack of sensitivity and consideration at times. We explored this with the registered manager.

Many people had developed relationships with those who cared for them, and they enjoyed recounting the activities and outings they had been involved in together. People told us how much they enjoyed the activities and how this really lifted their mood.

People described how staff engaged them and their family members when they moved into the home. They particularly enjoyed the meals and dining experience describing the food as ‘wonderful.’

People commented how the registered manager was approachable with one person commenting how they were a “nice person who I can speak to.”

We used the Short Observational Framework for Inspection (SOFI). SOFI is a way of observing care to help us understand the experience of people who cannot give their verbal opinions on the services they receive.