Witnesham Nursing Home told to improve after concerns raised

Witnesham Nursing Home, which provides care for up to 30 adults, was found to have several areas needing attention after a recent Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspection, particularly in governance, quality assurance, and risk management.

Witnesham Nursing Home received a requires improvement CQC report (Image: Google Maps)

The inspection, which took place from July 21 to August 7, revealed that the home had not consistently ensured safe, effective, and well-governed care.

Although systems for monitoring and improvement were in place, they failed to consistently identify concerns or lead to sustained improvements.

Concerns were also raised about care planning, risk management, and record-keeping, with assessments and care plans not always being accurate or up-to-date.

There were also examples where appropriate mental capacity assessments and best interest decision-making documentation were not fully in place to support care arrangements.

The provider was found to be open and transparent in sharing the findings of an independent review they had previously commissioned, which were consistent with those identified during the inspection, and had already started to address the issues identified.

The report noted: "Shortcomings in medicines management, staffing processes, environmental oversight and infection prevention and control increased the risk of people being exposed to avoidable harm."

Despite these findings, residents and their relatives shared positive feedback about their experiences at the home, describing staff as kind, caring, and respectful.

The report said: "Positive relationships between people and staff were evident throughout the inspection, with staff responding promptly to requests for assistance and treating people with dignity, compassion and patience."

The report acknowledged the provider's commitment to making necessary changes and noted that they had begun taking action to drive improvement.

The care home provides care for up to 30 adults (Image: Google Maps)

However, it also recognised that some improvements would take time to be fully implemented and embedded into practice.

The CQC urged the provider to strengthen care planning, environmental standards, and quality assurance processes to ensure consistently safe and effective care.

Witnesham Nursing Home was approached but declined to comment.