During an assessment under our new approach
Date of Assessment: 05 June 2025 to 27 June 2025 with site visits on 05 June and 06 June 2025. The service is a residential and nursing home providing support to older adults living with dementia and disabilities. At the time of CQC’s assessment 41 people lived in the home. This was an unannounced, planned assessment.
The provider was in breach of the legal regulations relating to people’s safe care and treatment and governance systems. We have asked the provider for an action plan in response to the concerns found at this assessment. We shared our concerns with the management team during the assessment. They were receptive to our feedback and promptly addressed some of the issues identified.
Walton Manor Residential and Nursing Home had a committed staff team who were able to demonstrate a strong understanding of safeguarding and person-centred care. Systems were in place for supervision, safeguarding, incident reporting, and reflective practice. Leadership was described by staff as approachable, fair, and open to ideas. Staff recruitment followed rigorous procedures, and agency staff were inducted and supervised appropriately. There was a focus on encouraging continuous staff development.
The provider has processes for investigating incidents and complaints, escalating safeguarding concerns promptly, and sharing lessons learned with the team.
The provider's response to the Mental Capacity Act and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) was appropriate, with staff demonstrating understanding of principles such as the importance of least-restrictive options.
Community links and wellbeing were promoted through visits from entertainers and local groups, and staff were encouraged to support people’s independence and preferences. Activity provision and coordination was praised, with evidence of creative, personalised engagement from the activity coordinator.
There was recognition of a compassionate, respectful culture, although this was not always reflected in our observed practices. For example, food waste stored inappropriately near dining areas and soiled personal items in communal spaces. Staff told us about time pressures that limit care plan reviews and documentation and felt risk assessments lacked clarity on risk levels.
Despite structured and regular audits being in place, we found a gap between good leadership intentions and operational delivery in key areas, particularly around infection control, medication safety, environmental risks, and record keeping. Some safety hazards had not been identified by audits, and governance systems were not always effective in driving improvements.