- Care home
Blenheim House Care Home
Assessment report published 1 July 2025
Contents
Ratings
Our view of the service
Date of Assessment: 17 December 2024 to 3 January 2025. The service is a residential care home providing support for up to 85 adults of all ages and people living with dementia. At the time of this assessment there was 72 people using the service. Incidents and accidents were not managed safely. This was because information recorded on incident forms was not always accurate and actions to prevent recurrence were not always taken. When people needed additional monitoring in response to accidents such as falls, this had not been recorded consistently. The provider’s governance systems were not effective in identifying improvements needed. People’s care plans and risk management plans were inconsistent and lacked details. Staff did not have the guidance they needed to manage risks to people’s safety, for example diabetes management. Medicines had not always been managed safely. Risks in the environment had not been managed in a timely manner. Actions needed to make the environment safe in relation to legionella had not been completed within recorded timescales. However, staff had been recruited safely and there were enough staff deployed. Staff received training in a range of areas and had regular supervision. The provider had an effective complaints process Since our last assessment there had been a change in management. The new home manager had applied to the Care Quality Commission (CQC) to become registered. Staff told us they enjoyed their work and felt well supported. The provider had a range of policies and procedures to support staff wellbeing and to promote equality, diversity and inclusion.
People's experience of this service
People and relatives told us people were safe at the service. One relative said, “I do feel [relative] is safe. There is an absence of trip hazards and plenty of staff. For people who need 1-1 care, carers are with them, there is always someone at hand.” Some people could not directly tell us about their experience. We used a structured observation tool to assess whether they received good care. We observed positive social interactions between people and staff. Staff treated people with respect and responded to requests for assistance in a timely manner. People and relatives told us staff were caring. Comments from people about the staff included, “Everybody is so kind, there is always someone there for you, everybody in the reception areas are helpful” and “Staff are wonderful.” Overall people thought there were enough staff available, though 2 people did share they felt there could be a few more staff particularly at night. People told us they had choices in how they spent their time, and they liked living at the service. One person said, “I can have a bath whenever I like, I can go to bed when I want.” People could have visitors when they wished, there were no restrictions on visiting hours. People and relatives were satisfied with the cleanliness and told us staff wore personal protective equipment. Comments from people included, “It is beautiful and clean, and the staff use gloves for any of my personal care.” Some people and relatives told us they did not know who the home manager was. However, we observed the home manager had chaired some ‘residents meetings’ to take time to get to know people. There was a weekly activities plan which was prepared with input from people. Activities included visits to local facilities such as garden centres and shops. While people expressed general satisfaction with their care, our assessment found elements of care did not meet the expected standards.