Woodfield Court
Stowmarket, IP14
Residential
Rated 3 years agocare home
CQC report explained · a residential care home, run by Stowcare
Chilton Court
Gainsborough Road, Stowmarket, IP14 1LL
Requires improvementpublished 25 January 2024, 2 years ago
Rated Requires improvement: inspectors found the service was not performing as well as it should and told it what to change.
The five questions inspectors ask
- Safe?
- Requires improvement
- Care and risk plans did not always give staff enough guidance. Food and drink records, fire safety checks, overnight staffing and some medicines also needed improvement.
- Effective?
- Good
- This question was not inspected during this visit. Its previous rating was carried forward into the overall rating.
- Caring?
- Good
- This question was not inspected during this visit. Its previous rating was carried forward into the overall rating.
- Responsive?
- Good
- This question was not inspected during this visit. Its previous rating was carried forward into the overall rating.
- Well-led?
- Requires improvement
- Quality checks did not identify or address all the problems found. Oversight of care records, medicines, infection control, training and recruitment was not robust.
The latest report, explained
What inspectors found, January 2024
Chilton Court was rated Requires Improvement; inspectors found kind care but gaps in risk planning, staffing, medicines and management oversight.
Inspectors visited without notice on 22 and 30 November 2023. Four inspectors visited over two days. They spoke with people, relatives, staff and managers, and reviewed care records, medicines records, recruitment files and quality checks.
The home was not always safe. Some people did not have clear care and risk plans. Food and drink records had gaps, fire safety checks were incomplete, and some medicines were not given exactly as prescribed. There were also too few staff overnight, although the provider increased staffing during the inspection.
Staff were described and observed as kind and respectful. Safeguarding systems were effective, and the home was working within the principles of the Mental Capacity Act. However, quality checks had not found or fixed all the problems, so the home was rated Requires Improvement for Safe and Well-led.
The previous overall rating was Good, published in July 2018. This inspection only assessed Safe and Well-led. The other question ratings were carried forward from the previous inspection.
What inspectors praised
Safeguarding
People were protected from abuse. Staff knew how to report concerns, and information about raising concerns was available.
“People were protected from the risk of abuse because the provider had effective safeguarding systems in place.” from the report
Kind interactions
Inspectors saw staff being attentive and respectful. Relatives also described positive relationships between people and care staff.
“We observed a kind and caring culture at the service. Staff were attentive and were respectful in their interactions.” from the report
Mental capacity
The home was following the principles of the Mental Capacity Act. Legal authorisations were in place when needed.
“We found the service was working within the principles of the MCA and if needed, appropriate legal authorisations were in place to deprive a person of their liberty.” from the report
Daytime support
During the visit, there were enough staff during the day to spend time with people. Staff were available and interacted with people rather than focusing only on tasks.
“Staff were not task orientated and were available and interacting with people.” from the report
What inspectors were concerned about
Incomplete risk plans
seriousCare plans and risk assessments did not always explain how staff should support people safely. This included people living with advanced dementia and people at risk of weight loss.
“People's care plans and risk assessments did not always give staff all the information they needed on how to safely care for people.” from the report
Overnight staffing
seriousInspectors were concerned that there were not enough staff overnight to keep people safe and meet their needs promptly. The provider increased overnight staffing during the inspection.
“We were concerned that there were not enough staff to keep people safe and meet their care needs during the nighttime.” from the report
Medicines
needs fixingFor one person, a medicine prescribed to be given when needed was given routinely. Guidance for staff was not always clear.
“for one person, medicines that were prescribed to be administered 'when required' were administered routinely.” from the report
Management oversight
seriousAudits and checks did not identify or resolve all the issues found. Inspectors were also not fully assured that staff recruitment was consistently safe.
“Systems designed to monitor the safety and quality of the service and take action to mitigate risk, were not robust.” from the report
Cleaning details
minorMost areas were visibly clean, but the undersides of some equipment and many light pull cords were heavily soiled.
“the underside of some pieces of equipment was soiled and many light pull cords were heavily soiled.” from the report
Questions to ask them, based on this report
- 01What has changed in care plans and risk assessments, especially for people living with advanced dementia or at risk of weight loss?
- 02How many staff are now scheduled overnight and at weekends, and how do you check that people's needs are met promptly?
- 03How do you make sure food and drink records are complete and acted on when someone is losing weight?
- 04How do you check that medicines prescribed to be given when needed are only given when appropriate?
- 05What checks now show that recruitment, medicines, infection control and care records are being properly monitored?
This was a focused inspection of Safe and Well-led, including infection prevention and control; the other question ratings were carried forward from the previous inspection. This explanation was written from the published report of 25 January 2024 by an AI system and checked against the report text: every quoted line appears in the report. It is a guide to the report, not a substitute for it. Read the full report on cqc.org.uk.
The story over the years
Every inspection of Chilton Court
4 rated inspections over 9 years: the service has slipped, from Good to Requires improvement.
- January 2024Requires improvementcurrent ratingdown from GoodSafe: Requires improvementEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Requires improvement
- July 2018Goodup from Requires improvementSafe: GoodWell-led: Good
- May 2017Requires improvementdown from GoodSafe: Requires improvementEffective: Requires improvementCaring: GoodResponsive: Requires improvementWell-led: Requires improvement
- June 2015GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- November 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- July 2012
Report published without a new overall rating.
- March 2011
Report published without a new overall rating.
- January 2011
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 20 January 2011.
Ratings and report dates from the Care Quality Commission. A service can also be visited without a new rating being published, so the timeline shows published inspections, not every contact the CQC has had with the service.
Another option
Or stay at home with a private carer
Many people who look at care homes end up staying at home with a carer who comes in for a few hours a day, or lives in. PrimeCarers introduces you to self-employed carers you choose yourself: interviewed, ID and DBS checked, from about £20 an hour or £1,120 a week live-in.
Same provider
Other services run by Stowcare Limited
1 other service on the CQC register. A pattern across a group tells you more than one report.
Good
Nearby
Other care homes near Stowmarket
Chilton Meadows Care Home
Stowmarket, IP14 · 0.7 km
NursingDementia
Rated 12 months agocare home
Hillcroft House
Stowmarket, IP14 · 0.8 km
ResidentialDementia
Rated 3 years agocare home
Short Break Respite Unit
Stowmarket, IP14 · 0.8 km
Residential
Rated 7 years agocare home
Langham Manor
Stowmarket, IP14 · 1.2 km
NursingDementia
Rated 17 months agocare home
Woodfield Court
Stowmarket, IP14 · 1.3 km
Residential
Rated 3 years agocare home
The Larches
Stowmarket, IP14 · 1.6 km
Residential
Rated 4 years agocare home