The Care Quality Commission

Archived: Blenheim Care Home

39-41 Kirby Road, Walton On The Naze, Essex, CO14 8QT (01255) 675548

Provided and run by:
Regal Care Homes (WON) Limited

Important: The provider of this service changed. See new profile

All Inspections

17 August 2012

During a routine inspection

We gathered evidence of people’s experiences of the service by talking with people, observing how they spent their time and noting how they interacted with other people living in the home and with staff.

During our visit we spoke with three people who told us they liked living at the home. We saw that people smiled and appeared relaxed and comfortable with staff and other people living in the home.

During our inspection we saw that people received good care and relatives spoken with were positive about the standard of care their relatives received.

One person living in the home told us they liked living there and that the staff were very helpful. They said “They get me prawns because I like them.”

We noted during the inspection that staff were very busy carrying out care tasks and had little spare time to provide social support. A relative told us “There are some really lovely staff but at times they are rushed off their feet.”

A relative told us that, in the time their relative had been in the home, there had been a lot of change around management and staffing. They said they felt what the home needed was a period of stability. However, they told us that things were “going in the right way” and they were “now hopeful” about the future.

20 July 2011

During an inspection looking at part of the service

People living in the home told us that they were happy with the care and support provided. One person told us 'I'm happy with the standards at the home, I haven't had any concerns.' We had conversations with four relatives during our visit and all confirmed that standards in the home had improved considerably since our last review in January 2011. A relative told us 'The care is unbelievable, we're really impressed. We wouldn't have wanted X to be anywhere else.' Another relative said 'The management of the home has improved so much in the short time the new manager has been here.'

4, 5 January 2011

During an inspection in response to concerns

A relative with whom we spoke told us that standards of care in the home had fluctuated considerably over the past year. They considered that standards had been particularly poor in the summer of 2010 but felt that there had been some improvements recently. They told us 'My trust in the home has been badly shaken in the last year. I want to have that trust back so that I can sleep at night'. They told us that they were very concerned at the frequent changes of managers and the high turnover of staff recently and felt that there was a problem with continuity. They considered that it was vital to get a key worker system up and running to improve continuity and individualised care. They stated that had raised 'numerous' verbal concerns and complaints about care practices during the previous summer, and said that it had taken some time before actions were taken to address the concerns raised.

People living in the home with whom we spoke were generally very positive about the staff, although one person told us 'There are lots of changes you have to get used to'. One person who lived in the home told us 'It's very nice in here. They look after you well in here. You can't grumble at anything'. Another said 'The home is very nice, the staff are good and helpful'. People with dementia who had difficulty communicating with us appeared relaxed and did not display overt signs of anxiety or distress. People in the home who could communicate told us that they saw the chiropodist on a regular basis and the GP, dentist and optician when needed. One person told us 'If I want to see the doctor I ask the staff and they sort it out'. All the people who were able to communicate told us that the food in the home was good. One told us 'The food is good. I like it all'. Another said 'The food is very good, there are choices at every meal'.