Burcot Grange

Updated 18 October 2019

The inspection

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (the Act) as part of our regulatory functions. We checked whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Act. We looked at the overall quality of the service and provided a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

Inspection team

On 20 August 2019 one inspector carried out this inspection. One inspector returned on 21 August 2019 to speak with more people, relatives and staff and to complete more observations of the delivery of care, as well as reviewing care records.

Service and service type

Burcot Grange is a residential care home. People in care homes receive accommodation and personal care. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

The service had a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. This means that they and the provider are legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided.

Notice of inspection

This first day of our inspection was unannounced but we announced our second day.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. The provider completed a provider information return prior to this inspection. This is information we require providers to send us to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We took this into account when we inspected the service and made the judgements in this report. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with seven people to get their experiences of what it was like living at Burcot Grange and three visiting relatives. We spoke with two team leaders, five care staff, a head chef, a waitress, an activities staff member and one maintenance manager. We also spoke with the registered manager, a deputy manager and a care and quality manager. We used the Short Observational Framework for Inspection (SOFI). SOFI is a way of observing care to help us understand the experience of people who could not talk with us.

We reviewed a range of records. This included samples of three people’s care records and multiple medication records. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, audits, complaints, compliments and evidence of activities people were involved and people’s overall feedback about the service.

Updated 18 October 2019

About the service

Burcot Grange is registered to provide accommodation and personal care for up to 40 older people, including people living with dementia. At the time of our inspection visit there were 36 people living at the home. Care is provided across two floors and communal lounge and dining rooms were located on the ground floor. People’s bedrooms were ensuite and some people had a ‘suite’ that included a lounge and kitchenette.

People’s experience of using this service and what we found

People told us the care and support they received was focussed on them as individuals and always with their agreement. Many people described the care as, ‘five star’. All relatives were extremely pleased and satisfied with the whole experience of Burcot Grange. One person commented,” This home is amazing. It’s the management, the staff, nothing is too much trouble.” Everyone said it was the small but important things that were achieved that made Burcot Grange special to those who lived there.

The registered manager’s passion and commitment to achieving high standards was evident in how the home was managed, and supported by people, relatives and staff’s comments. This translated into staff practice that provided people with very high standards of care. The registered manager understood the importance of the home within the local community and how family values and connections were vital to how people lived their lives. Community links were strong and continued to be built upon which helped some people keep important connections to their previous occupations and friends.

The provider ensured care was based upon best practice and guidance so people received a highly effective service which put them at the heart of their care. Exceptionally good governance was embedded into the provider and registered manager's processes. There was a relaxed atmosphere where visitors were welcomed and encouraged. Processes to monitor the quality and safety of the service provided, meant actions were taken to drive continuous improvement for the benefit of the people who lived there.

People, relatives and staff said the management team was effective, responsive and there to support them with ideas or to facilitate ways to share new ideas. People and relatives were involved in what happened in their home and supported in a variety of ways to speak up and have a say in how the service was run. Many people, relatives and staff used the word, ‘family’, when describing this service. People told us of many examples where staff had altered activities and care approaches to support their individual preferences.

Staff interacted with people at their pace, unrushed and joked and laughed with each other. Staff in all roles were empowered to involve and engage people which helped develop relaxed and genuine relationships which people valued.

The staff worked with outside professionals and the local community to improve people's health and social wellbeing. The registered manager empowered the staff team to make suggestions and try new things to keep improving people’s experiences.

People felt safe because the service had very well managed systems for monitoring risk and staff had a thorough understanding of people's needs and how to keep them safe. People told us there was enough staff on duty to meet their needs and they did not need to wait when they called for support.

People were supported to take their medicines safely from staff who were trained, competent and knowledgeable about supporting people’s health. Strong links with a local GP practice ensured people were reviewed and seen promptly. Some people self-medicated and others, managed their own particular health needs to retain some levels of independence and control.

People told us the food was home cooked, with a list of alternatives so they had plenty of choice. Varieties of drinks, snacks and homemade biscuits were provided throughout the day.

People and their relatives were involved in planning their care and assessing their needs. People told us they could choose the décor and personalise their rooms which they did, which gave them a feel of home. People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives. Staff supported people to lead safe but unrestricted lives with open doors so people could go outside and explore the grounds without restriction and supervision.

For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk

Rating at last inspection and update

The last rating for this service was Good (published 31 January 2017).

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating

Follow up

We will continue to monitor intelligence we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our inspection programme. If any concerning information is received, we may inspect sooner.

For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk