The Care Quality Commission
  • Care Home
  • Care home

Walsingham House

Overall: Requires improvement read more about inspection ratings

33 Walsingham Drive, Bermuda Park, Nuneaton, Warwickshire, CV10 7RW (024) 7674 2200

Provided and run by:
PAKS Trust

All Inspections

During an assessment under our new approach

Date of inspection: 12 and 15 September 2025.

Walsingham House is a care home providing personal care and accommodation to people with a learning disability and autistic people. At the time of the inspection there were 3 people living in the home. We have assessed the service against ‘Right support, right care, right culture’ guidance to make judgements about whether the provider guaranteed people with a learning disability and autistic people respect, equality, dignity, choices, independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted.

At our last inspection we found improvements were needed in some areas, such as managing identified risks to people. At this inspection we found some improvements had been made and embedded into records and ways of working. However, we found improvements were required in relation to aspects of safe care and treatment and good governance.

People were supported with their medicines as prescribed and records reflected this. The registered manager had not always handled medicines for disposal in a safe way following the provider’s policy or the legal requirements related to medicines. The provider’s quality assurance systems were not consistently used in an effective way to identify or address areas needing improvement.

Staff had been trained and used their knowledge in supporting people who they had built positive relationships with. This meant they knew people well and how they liked to be cared for. Staff were respectful, kind and caring and gave person-centered care. There were enough staff on shift to meet people’s needs in a safe way. Overall, staff had been recruited safely, but some improvements were needed to ensure this was consistent.

We found 1 breach of legal regulation concerning governance of the service.

We have asked the provider for an action plan in response to the concerns found at this inspection.

14 February 2020

During a routine inspection

About the service

The service is a care home and provides personal care and accommodation for up to four people living with a learning disability. The home has two floors, a communal lounge, dining area and conservatory. At the time of our inspection there were four people living at 33 Walsingham Drive.

People’s experience of using this service and what we found

Staff knew people well, and, overall, protected them from identified risks of harm or injury. However, some risks had not been identified and did not have risk management plans for staff to refer to.

People had their prescribed medicines available to them and were supported with these by trained staff. People received their medicines as prescribed. However, staff had not been aware of specific guidance related to medicines given through a skin patch.

The home was maintained and had ongoing plans for décor refurbishment. Overall, there was a good level of cleanliness and, overall, risks of cross infection were controlled. However, there were a few areas where improvements were needed to make sure risks of cross infection were minimised.

There were processes to audit the quality of the service to ensure a safe service was provided. However, some checks and audits did not always identify where improvements were needed.

We gave feedback to the registered manager about issues we identified during our inspection visit and they assured us immediate actions would be taken to make the improvements needed.

People were happy and felt safe living at the home. They, and their relatives, gave us positive feedback about the care and support they received from staff.

People’s needs were assessed, and staff were trained to meet people’s care and support needs.

People had choices about drinks and what they ate for their meals and their nutritional needs were met. The provider understood the importance of promoting healthy eating and of promoting people’s independence whenever possible.

People were supported to access healthcare professionals when needed.

The service applied the principles and values of Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. These ensured that people who use the service can live as full a life as possible and achieve the best possible outcomes that include control, choice and independence.

The outcomes for people using the service reflected the principles and values of Registering the Right Support by promoting choice and control, independence and inclusion. People's support focused on them having as many opportunities as possible for them to gain new skills and become more independent.

People were supported to take part in activities and pursue hobbies.

Staff understood the importance of giving people choices. People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

People felt cared for by kind staff who had the skills they needed and responded to their needs. People had individual plans of care and felt involved in making choices about their day to day care needs.

People and their relatives had no complaints about the services they received.

For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk

Rating at the last inspection

The last rating for this service was Good (published 17 August 2017).

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our inspection programme. If any concerning information is received, we may inspect sooner.

19 July 2017

During a routine inspection

We inspected the service on 19 July 2017 as an unannounced inspection.

Walsingham House is registered to provide care and accommodation to a maximum of four people with learning disabilities, or autistic spectrum disorders, physical disabilities or people living with dementia. At the time of our inspection visit there were three people living at home.

At the last inspection on 23 June 2015 and 9 July 2015 the service was rated overall as Good however ‘Effective’ was rated as Requires Improvement At this inspection we found all areas were now ‘Good’.

There was a registered manager at the home. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Like registered providers, they are 'registered persons'. Registered persons have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

At our previous inspection, the provider was not aware of the changes made to the Mental Capacity Act (MCA) 2005 and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS). During this inspection we found the provider, registered manager and staff understood their responsibilities under the MCA and the DoLS, and people’s rights were protected in accordance with the Act. Staff offered people choice and respected their decisions.

People received a choice of meals and drinks that met their individual needs and were supported to attend healthcare services when needed.

People told us they felt safe living at Walsingham House and relatives agreed with them. Staff understood their responsibilities to protect people from the risk of abuse. The provider checked staff’s suitability for their role before they started working at the home. There were enough staff to support people safely inside the home and in the wider community.

Risks associated with people’s care was identified and care was planned to minimise the risks to people. Medicines were managed, stored, administered and disposed of safely.

People were supported by a stable staff team who knew people well and had the skills and training to meet their needs. Care records contained information to enable staff to deliver care and support based on the individual needs and preferences of each person. Some care records lacked detail which the registered manager was addressing. People and relatives, where appropriate, were involved in planning and reviewing their care and support.

People were supported to maintain relationships with people who were important to them and were encouraged to follow their interests and take part in meaningful social activities. Staff respected people’s privacy and dignity and encouraged people to maintain their independence.

People and relatives were complimentary about the quality of care they received and the way the home was managed. Staff felt supported and valued by the management team. The provider and registered manager completed regular checks to monitor the quality of service provided and invited people and relatives to share their views about the service. The provider used feedback to ensure the service continually improved.

Further information is in the detailed findings below.

23 June 2015 and 9 July 2015

During a routine inspection

This inspection took place on the 23 June and 9 July 2015. The first visit was unannounced, however we arranged to return on an announced visit when the registered manager was back from annual leave and when the only one of the three people who lived at the home who could verbally communicate, was available for us to talk with.

Walsingham House provides care and accommodation for up to four people with a diagnosis of a learning disability or autistic spectrum disorder. The communal area of the home and one of the bedrooms was on the ground floor. The rest of the bedrooms were on the first floor.

There was a registered manager in post at the time of our inspection. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Like registered providers, they are ‘registered persons’. Registered persons have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

There were sufficient staff to meet the health care needs of people, and to support people, who wanted to engage in activities outside of the home. Staff received regular training, and new staff were provided with a thorough induction to help them understand people’s needs and how to support people effectively.

Staff had received training in keeping people safe and understood their responsibility to report any observed or suspected abuse. Where risks associated with people’s health and wellbeing had been identified, there were plans to manage those risks. Risk assessments ensured people could continue to enjoy activities as safely as possible, access the community and maintain their independence.

Staff had received training to understand the Mental Capacity Act and the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS). A DoLS is part of the Mental Capacity Act and ensures where a person is deprived of their freedom, the care home has been given permission to do so by the local authority; however, the provider was not aware of the changes to DoLS in 2014 and had not made the appropriate applications. This meant they were not following legal requirements.

Staff were observed to be kind and considerate to people. One person who lived at the home was younger and more independent than the other two people who were much older and frail. Staff ensured that the needs of all three were met.

Where possible, people were involved in making decisions about what they had to eat and drink. People were referred to external healthcare professionals to ensure their health and wellbeing was maintained. Medicines were managed so that people received their medication as prescribed.

People had moved from another location in Nuneaton to Walsingham House in the last year. The changes had been managed well by the registered manager and the staff.

Staff told us they were supported by management and there was good communication between them. The registered manager had a good understanding of the needs of people the home supported.