Castlethorpe Nursing Home

The following is CQC's published account of its assessment, published 30 July 2026. References to “we” mean CQC. It describes findings at that time.

Dates of assessment; From 15 April to 01 May 2026.

Thiswas a comprehensive assessment of Castlethorpe Nursing Home. The assessment was carried out to follow up on the concerns we found during our previous assessment in October 2025 where breaches of regulation had been identified. Castlethorpe Nursing Home is a care home which provides care and support to older people, younger adults, people living with dementia, mental health, people with an eating disorder or physical disability. The service is registered to provide care and support for up to 59 people. At the time of our assessment 35 people were living at the service, most of whom were living with dementia and had a range of physical health needs. The service used to provide nursing care but now only provides residential care. People, relatives and professionals consistently reported improved communication, a more positive atmosphere and more meaningful engagement. We observed caring and respectful interactions, and people were supported to maintain their dignity, relationships and choice. Activities had become more varied and personalised, reflecting a more person-centred approach.

There was improved oversight of incidents and safeguarding concerns. The introduction of daily flash meetings supported a more open and responsive culture. There was a more visible and consistent management presence, which had contributed to these improvements. However, the service had not yet achieved a consistently safe or well-led standard. We identified ongoing concerns relating to environmental safety and incomplete actions following fire risk assessments. In addition, recruitment processes and staff file records were not always sufficiently robust to demonstrate safe practices. While safeguarding oversight had improved, this had not been sustained over a sufficient period to demonstrate effectiveness. People’s care plans and risk assessments did not always provide staff with the level of detail they required to promote safe and effective person-centred care. Governance systems and processes remained ineffective in identifying and rectifying shortfalls in day-to-day practice. Where checks had been delegated to others, there was limited oversight to ensure those checks had been completed or that they were accurate.

The service was improving and relatives had noticed positive changes, but more time and strong leadership were needed to fully embed changes and manage risks effectively. After the previous assessment we placed the service in special measures. This has been removed after this assessment. The previous assessment had identified breaches of legal regulation in relation to the safety of the service, dignity and respect. Sufficient improvement had been made, and the service is no longer in breach of these regulations.

The service remains in breach of the legal regulation in relation to quality assurance and governance of the service. We have asked the provider for an action plan in response to the concerns found at this assessment.

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