The Paddocks Care Home
- Care home
- 100 beds
- Nursing care
- Dementia care
- Registered since 2011
- Swaffham, Norfolk, East of England
Inadequate
Rated on
Rating from the Care Quality Commission.
At a glance
5 ratings
Its last inspection moved it down from Requires improvement to Inadequate.
10 months
since the latest rating was published.
11 of 288
rated care homes in Norfolk are rated Inadequate, like this one.
The Paddocks Care Home: inspection record
Rated Inadequate in December 2025, down from Requires improvement.
| 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | ||||||||||||
| Safe | ||||||||||||
| Effective | ||||||||||||
| Caring | ||||||||||||
| Responsive | ||||||||||||
| Well-led |
Ratings published by the Care Quality Commission.
Compare nearby
Nearest rated Good or Outstanding: Westfields (Outstanding, 0.1 miles away) and Holmwood House Care Centre (Good, 0.3 miles away).
Nearest care homes:
- O Westfields Outstanding, 0.1 miles away
- G Holmwood House Care Centre Good, 0.3 miles away
- RI Swaffham House Care Home Requires improvement, 0.6 miles away
- O Meadow House Nursing Home Outstanding, 0.7 miles away
- G The Crown Rest Home Good, 4.2 miles away
What inspectors found
From the Care Quality Commission's assessment published 9 December 2025 (assessment visit 1 August 2025). Quoted under the Open Government Licence.
Date of assessment: 12 August to 2 September 2025. We undertook 2 out of hours unannounced site visits and one announced daytime visit followed by a feedback session. We carried out this assessment to review escalating risks which had been reported to us and to follow up on our previous assessment published 17 March 2021 when conditions were added to the provider’s registration. Special measures have been in place at this service since 17 April 2020.
- Safe Inadequate
- Effective No rating
- Caring No rating
- Responsive No rating
- Well-led Inadequate
Read the rest of CQC's summary
At the time of our assessment there were 51 people using the service. The service is a residential care home providing care and support to older people, some of whom are living with dementia. The service is split into 2 separate buildings, with one being used to support those people living with more advanced dementia.
At our last assessment in 2021 the provider had been in breach of 4 regulations relating to safe care, safeguarding, good governance and failing to notify CQC about significant events. At this assessment we identified continued breaches of regulation relating to safe care and good governance. We also identified new breaches relating to safe and effective staffing and meeting people’s nutritional and hydration needs.
Staffing levels did not ensure people were kept safe and a high level of agency cover meant staff were not always able to meet people’s needs. Medicines needed more robust management and communication required improvement to ensure people received medicines, including end of life medicines, in a timely way. The environment required some improvements to make it safer for people and reduce risks from fire and scalding.
Our assessment coincided with an amber alert heatwave, and we found people’s fluids were not well managed leaving some people noticeably thirsty. Recording of people’s fluids could not be relied on to give an accurate picture. Oversight of this and management of the heatwave in general was very poor.
People were treated with kindness, and we observed some compassionate care. However, the high number of new and agency staff and poor communication systems meant people’s needs were not always fully understood and some care was task focused.
Management and oversight of the service was not effective, and audits and improvement plans had not identified the serious issues we found. Management of the service was not robust, and some key posts were vacant which meant it was difficult to bring about the required changes and improvements. Some of these posts have been filled since our assessment concluded. The culture at the service was not always viewed as a supportive one, with some staff describing it as punitive. Considerable work is needed to address the issues we found and give staff and people who use the service full confidence in the leadership of the service. The provider gave us some assurances that they were already taking steps to make the required changes. The service remains in special measures.
-
Safe
Inadequate
Safe – this means we looked for evidence that people were protected from abuse and avoidable harm. At our last assessment we rated this key question requires improvement. At this assessment the rating has changed to inadequate. This meant people were not safe and were at risk of avoidable harm.
The service was in breach of legal regulation in relation to people’s safe care and treatment, the safe management of people’s medicines, safe staffing and governance relating to safety. The service was previously in breach of the legal regulation in relation to safe care and treatment. Improvements were not found at this assessment, and the service remained in breach of this regulation.
-
Effective
No rating
Effective – this means we looked for evidence that people’s care, treatment and support achieved good outcomes and promoted a good quality of life, based on best available evidence.
At our last assessment we rated this key question requires improvement. At this assessment the rating has remained requires improvement. This meant the effectiveness of people’s care, treatment and support did not always achieve good outcomes or was inconsistent.
The service was in breach of legal regulation in relation to meeting people’s nutrition and hydration needs.
-
Caring
No rating
Caring – this means we looked for evidence that the provider involved people and treated them with compassion, kindness, dignity and respect.
At our last assessment we rated this key question requires improvement. At this assessment the rating has remained requires improvement. This meant people did not always feel well-supported, cared for or treated with dignity and respect.
-
Responsive
No rating
Responsive – this means we looked for evidence that the provider met people’s needs.
At our last assessment we rated this key question requires improvement. At this assessment the rating has remained requires improvement. This meant people’s needs were not always met.
-
Well-led
Inadequate
Well-led – this means we looked for evidence that service leadership, management and governance assured high-quality, person-centred care; supported learning and innovation; and promoted an open, fair culture.
At our last assessment we rated this key question inadequate. At this assessment the rating has remained inadequate. This meant there were widespread and significant shortfalls in leadership. Leaders and the culture they created did not assure the delivery of high-quality care.
The service was in breach of legal regulation in relation to governance. The service was previously in breach of the legal regulation in relation to governance. Improvements were not found at this assessment, and the service remained in breach of this regulation.
Questions to ask when you visit
- Safe was rated Inadequate on 9 December 2025. Ask how medicines are managed, how staffing levels are decided and how incidents are reviewed.
- Effective was rated Requires improvement on 9 December 2025. Ask about staff training and how health appointments are arranged.
- Caring was rated Requires improvement on 9 December 2025. Ask how staff protect dignity and how residents are involved in decisions about their care.
- Responsive was rated Requires improvement on 9 December 2025. Ask to see how care plans are kept up to date, how complaints are handled and what activities are on offer.
Registration details
- Registered manager
- Cinita Head
- Registered with the CQC since
- What it provides
- Care home service with nursing
- Who it supports
- Dementia, Older People, Physical Disability, Sensory Impairment, Younger Adults
Inspection report
Read the full inspection report (opens the Care Quality Commission website)9 inspection reports, latest 17 March 2021. Latest assessment published 9 December 2025; the Care Quality Commission's newer assessments are published on its website rather than as reports.
The rating is the Care Quality Commission's. We show it as published and do not change it.
Who runs it
- Provider
- The Paddocks Care Home Ltd
- Ownership type
- Organisation
- Companies House number
- 04078141 (opens Companies House)
The Paddocks Care Home Ltd runs 2 services, all in the East of England. 1 is rated Good or Outstanding and 1 is rated Requires improvement or Inadequate.
Other services run by The Paddocks Care Home Ltd
- G The Mayfields Care Home Good. Care home, Norfolk
Getting help from Norfolk County Council
The council can assess what care someone needs and tell them what help with the cost they may get.
- Adult social care at Norfolk County Council
- Ask for a care needs assessment
- Phone: 0344 800 8020, Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm
- Support for carers
- Paying for care: Norfolk County Council
Checked on the council's website, November 2026.
Common questions
- Does The Paddocks Care Home provide nursing care?
- Yes. The Care Quality Commission lists The Paddocks Care Home as a care home with nursing.
- How many beds does The Paddocks Care Home have?
- The Care Quality Commission's register lists 100 beds at The Paddocks Care Home.
- When was The Paddocks Care Home last inspected?
- The Care Quality Commission's latest rating for The Paddocks Care Home was published on 9 December 2025.
- Who runs The Paddocks Care Home?
- The Paddocks Care Home is run by The Paddocks Care Home Ltd. It runs 2 services, all in the East of England.
- What is The Paddocks Care Home's CQC rating?
- Its overall rating from the Care Quality Commission is Inadequate, published on 9 December 2025.
Contact
- Phone
- 01760 722920
- Address
- 45 Cley Road, Swaffham, PE37 7NP Map (opens Google Maps)
Compare nearby
Nearest rated Good or Outstanding: Westfields (Outstanding, 0.1 miles away) and Holmwood House Care Centre (Good, 0.3 miles away).
Nearest care homes:
- O Westfields Outstanding, 0.1 miles away
- G Holmwood House Care Centre Good, 0.3 miles away
- RI Swaffham House Care Home Requires improvement, 0.6 miles away
- O Meadow House Nursing Home Outstanding, 0.7 miles away
- G The Crown Rest Home Good, 4.2 miles away