Working at Southborough Care Home
9-11 Southborough Road, Chelmsford, CM2 0AG
Operated by Southborough Care Home Limited
12 bedsResidential homes
Workplace Score
4.5/10
AI analysis of latest data
Our AI workplace review
PlainSight AI Review
Last updated: 10 February 2026
Score: 4.5/10
Key Finding
"Staff praised teamwork and training, but poor medicines safety and limited activities held it back."
Safety & Risk
2/10
✕
Medicines were not always managed safely with unsigned administrations, unsecured topicals in bedrooms, and ineffective audits failing to identify issues.
Staff Culture
6/10
✓
Staff were mainly positive about working at the service, with comments like 'Teamwork is great here; we all help each other' though some noted lack of appreciation.
Staffing Levels
5/10
!
Staffing numbers were being maintained to keep people safe and people’s physical needs were met, however staffing levels did not always provide opportunity for activities and interaction was mainly task focused.
Training & Dev
5/10
!
Staff received an induction and on-going training, staff told us training is very good with some doing diplomas, but supervision records did not assure meetings followed best practice.
Management
4/10
!
The registered manager was visible at the service and staff were positive about the management, but more work was needed to strengthen oversight as medicine audits had not identified concerns.
Programmes
3/10
✕
There was limited opportunities for people to be involved in activities, mixed feedback on engagement with some colouring or puzzles but others just watching TV.
Points to consider
Medication not always given or recorded safely, with unsecured creams in bedrooms and audits missing problems.
Medicines were not always managed safely. ...topical medications that were accessible and unsecured in people’s bedrooms. ...Medicine audits undertaken had not picked up the concerns found
No proper activities programme or coordinator, so the role is mostly task-focused with little time for engagement.
staffing levels did not always provide opportunity for people to be involved in activities and interaction unrelated to tasks was minimal.
Manager in post but oversight poor, as audits did not spot safety issues like with meds.
Governance processes required improvement as medicine audits had not picked up the concerns we found.
AI Generated
CQC Inspection Overview
CQC Inspection
Last inspected: March 2025
Requires improvement
Safe
!
Requires improvement
Effective
✓
Good
Caring
✓
Good
Responsive
✓
Good
Management Quality
Well-led: Requires improvement
Staff Reviews
Direct feedback from current and former employees
No one has reviewed yet. Be the first.
Scan the QR code or tap the button to chat with us on WhatsApp. Your identity stays completely anonymous.
Chat on WhatsAppSources
- Care Quality Commission (CQC) Inspection Data
- PlainSight staff reviews