Archived: Beechcroft Nursing and Residential Home

Updated 25 January 2022

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection was planned to check whether the provider is meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008.

As part of CQC’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic we are looking at how services manage infection control and visiting arrangements. This was a targeted inspection looking at the infection prevention and control measures the provider had in place. We also asked the provider about any staffing pressures the service was experiencing and whether this was having an impact on the service.

This inspection took place on 19 January 2022 and was announced. We gave the service 24 hours’ notice of the inspection.

Updated 25 January 2022

This comprehensive inspection took place on the 12 and 13th December 2018 and was unannounced. At our previous inspection in July 2017 the overall rating was ‘requires improvement.’ We had found two breaches of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014 relating to, improvements needed for safe care and treatment for medications and improvements needed for governance systems within the service to develop effective clinical leadership. Following the inspection in July 2017 the provider implemented an action plan to show what they would do and by when to improve the service. At this inspection we found that the actions had been met and the provider was no longer in breach of these regulations.

Beechcroft Nursing and Residential Home is a single storey care home located in the Palacefields area of Runcorn close to local shops, pubs and the local church. The home provides accommodation for up to 67 people. It is divided into two units, a nursing unit and a residential unit.

At the time of our inspection visit there were 61 people living in the home. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as single package under one contractual agreement. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided.

The service has a registered manager in post. 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 who used the service and relatives had a positive attitude about the service being delivered and the standard of care and support provided by the staff team. People were treated with respect, consideration and kindness.

Staff supported people to take their medicines safely and as prescribed. The provider had taken appropriate on-going actions to show continued improvements to the management of people’s medications.

People were protected from potential harm and abuse by trained staff who were knowledgeable of local safeguarding procedures. Updates were needed for some staff with training and record keeping.

There was mixed feedback regarding staffing levels. The registered manager was confident that staffing levels were increased when they identified a need to do this to meet the needs of people at the service. We recommend the registered provider includes staff, people receiving support and relatives in their assessments of staffing levels so they are fully informed and consulted about the staffing levels provided.

The service was clean and tidy. We recommend the service reviews all areas of the building and refers to published guidance in developing services and their environments to meet people’s needs with dementia.

People were referred to appropriate health and social care professionals when necessary to ensure they received treatment and support for their specific needs.

People were supported by a team of staff that had received training and support to maintain their skills and knowledge in order to meet the needs of the people they supported.

Information and arrangements were in place for the staff team to respond to concerns or complaints from people using the service and their representatives.

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrict way possible. Staff had followed the Code of Practice in relation to the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA). The manager submitted notifications following this inspection to show updated information regarding authorisations granted by the local authority.

There were detailed systems in place to monitor the quality and safety of the service. Staff spoke positively about the support they received from the registered manager. They said that the registered manager was supportive and visible around the home and they felt it was well managed.