3 July 2019
During a routine inspection
About the service
Brooklands House provides personal care to people aged 55 and over. People using the service lived in self-contained apartments in purpose built accommodation, set in private grounds on the outskirts of Stafford town centre. The accommodation is arranged over three floors and offers 55 apartments, with communal lounges, garden areas, a restaurant and activities room. The building also has staff facilities, including an on-site office and a staff room.
Not everyone who used the service received personal care. CQC only inspects where people receive personal care. This is help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do we also consider any wider social care provided. At the time of inspection, five people living at Brooklands House were receiving a regulated activity.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
The provider had systems to monitor the quality of the service. However, improvements were needed to ensure audits of medicines and care records were consistently effective and any shortfalls identified acted on promptly.
Risks associated with people’s care and support were managed safely. When needed, people received support to take their medicines as prescribed. However, some improvements were needed to ensure staff always had clear guidance on how to support people.
People were protected from the risk of harm by staff who understood their responsibilities to identify and report any signs of potential abuse and any concerns were referred to the local safeguarding team for investigation when needed.
There were sufficient staff to meet people’s needs. The provider followed safe recruitment procedures and staff were trained and supported to meet people’s changing needs. Staff felt supported and valued by the provider.
People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service underpinned this practice.
People were supported by kind and caring staff who respected their privacy and dignity and promoted their wellbeing. Staff listened to people and encouraged them to maintain their independence. Where required, people were supported to have enough to eat and drink to maintain their health and wellbeing. They were also supported to access other health services when needed.
People and their relatives were complimentary about the service. They knew how to raise concerns and complaints and there were systems in place to capture people’s views on how the service could be improved.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk
Rating at last inspection
This service was registered with us on 05/07/2018 and this is the first inspection.
Why we inspected
This was a planned first inspection of the service.
Follow up
We will continue to monitor intelligence we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our reinspection programme. If any concerning information is received, we may inspect sooner.