• Care Home
  • Care home

The Grange

Overall: Good read more about inspection ratings

The Grange, 3 Church Road,, Rennington,, Alnwick, NE66 3RR (01665) 577344

Provided and run by:
People First Care (Rennington) Ltd

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

Latest inspection summary

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Our current view of the service

Good

Updated 14 October 2025

The inspection was carried out between 20 October and 15 December 2025. On site inspection of the service was undertaken on 20 October and 21 October 2025.

The Grange is a residential care home which provides personal care for up to 27 people, including older people, younger adults, people living with dementia and those with a sensory impairment or physical disability. There were 26 people using the service at the time of our inspection.

This is the first inspection of the service, which was registered with a new provider in September 2024. The service had last been inspected under the old provider in October 2018 and was rated good at that time. At this inspection we have rated the service as good.

The service had enough staff to support people who required personal care, although people told us weekends and nights still needed staffing issues reviewed. Appropriate checks had been undertaken to ensure staff had the right skills and backgrounds. Staff had received a range of training and supervision to allow them to support people, although the quality of documentation regarding supervisions and appraisals could be improved.

Medicines were managed effectively and safely. An electronic reporting system was used to minimise errors and omissions. Safeguarding events were recorded, and action taken to ensure the local authority and CQC were informed. People’s needs were assessed prior to them coming to live at the home and care plans were regularly reviewed and updated. People and relatives told us they were involved in reviews and care assessments. Care plans were detailed, although some, particularly around medical conditions, were auto generated by the electronic system and were not person centred. The registered manager and provider was introducing a new system to improve the quality of the care records.

Areas of the home had decoration updated and building work was ongoing to extend and develop the home. Safety issues related to these building works had been addressed. The home was clean and tidy, although domestic staffing was an area where recruitment had proved difficult. The laundry area was cramped and needed updating and redevelopment.

People were supported to have choice and control in their daily lives, as far as possible. Families and friends were able to visit at any time. People and relatives told us there were activities at the home, although felt these could be improved. There had been recent recruitment of an additional activities co-ordinator. We observed people actively engaged with staff in a range of activities and events during the assessment.

The registered manager had introduced a range of systems to monitor the quality of the service and review its effectiveness. Audits by senior managers took place, although were not robust. Staff said they were well supported by the registered manager and other senior staff and could raise concerns freely. The registered manager was actively trying to engage with the local community.

People's experience of the service

Updated 14 October 2025

People told us they felt safe and there were enough staff to support them with their needs. Relatives told us the care provided was of good quality and their relations were well looked after. One relative told us, “[Relative] has lived there for three years. They are very settled. Staff are very kind and very responsive in getting to know them and making adjustments for them.” Some relatives felt there were periods when staffing could be improved, particularly at the weekend or during the night.

People told us the home was clean and tidy and were happy with the quality of the food, which they said was very good. A relative told us, “My [relative] eats in the dining room. The chef is amazing – they make individual [special diets] meals for my them.” People felt additional services, such as laundry facilities met their needs. Staff supported people to access health services and helped them book appointments. A relative told us, “If there is a medical concern, they sort it out quickly - very pleased with their interventions and when they need to get advice from the doctor.”

People were able to maintain contact with family and friends and were supported to keep up interests. People told us staff were kind and supportive and spent time with them. One person told us, “If I was going to need a care home this would be the place.” A relative told us, “Staff have a great way of adapting to each resident and give the best care they can.”

People and relatives told us they were well supported by the registered manager, and the deputy manager, and that they would listen to any concerns they had and would act on them