This inspection took place on 2 August 2016 and was unannounced. Briarfields is registered to provide accommodation with personal care to a maximum of 43 older people. There were 40 people living at the home on the day of our inspection. The home is divided into four units which each have their own communal areas.
A registered manager was in post and was present during our inspection. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Like registered providers, they are ‘registered persons’. Registered persons have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.
People felt safe and were supported safely by staff within the home. Staff had received training in recognising when people may be at risk of harm or abuse. They knew how to protect people and how to report any concerns they may have about a person's safety. Where risks to people’s safety were identified action was taken by staff to make sure those risks were reduced as far as possible.
People were supported safely by sufficient numbers of staff. Although people had experienced a high use of agency staff for a short period of time recently this had now settled. People now had a better consistency of staff due to the provider recruiting into all staff vacancies. The provider completed employment and character checks on staff before they started work to check they were suitable to work with people at the home.
People were supported to take their medicines safely and when they needed them. People only received their medicines from staff that were trained to support them. Staff practice was continually re assessed to make sure the support they gave people with their medicine was safe.
People were supported by staff who had the skills and knowledge to meet their needs. Staff received training that was relevant to the people they supported and their specific needs. Staff received the support and guidance they needed to complete their roles effectively.
People were only supported with their consent. Staff involved people and helped them to make choices and decisions about their day-to-day care. Staff understood how to protect people’s rights if they could not make their own decisions in making sure all decisions were made in a person’s best interest.
People had enough to eat and drink and were supported to maintain a well-balanced diet. People’s health needs were met and they were supported to access healthcare services when needed.
People received support from staff who had a caring approach. Staff were polite and friendly. Staff listened to and respected people’s wishes about how they wanted their care delivered. People’s dignity and privacy was respected by staff at all times.
People received care and support that responded to their changing needs and was reviewed regularly by staff to make sure it met their needs. People enjoyed the social events that took place at the home although some people wanted more events to happen. The registered manager had recently sought people’s views on how they wanted to spend their time and had arranged for extra events to happen based on their feedback.
People enjoyed the atmosphere of the home and were involved in what happened at the home. People’s views on the care they received were sought by the provider and registered manager and this was used to make improvements. The provider had systems in place which meant the quality of the service they provided was continually monitored and action taken to drive improvement.