Archived: Beech Close

Updated 2 February 2019

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection checked whether the provider is meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

This unannounced inspection took place on 10 December 2018 and was undertaken by two inspectors, an inspection manager and an expert-by experience. An expert-by-experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of care service.

Before the inspection, the provider completed a Provider Information Return [PIR]. This is a form that asks the provider to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. The provider completed and returned the PIR in October 2018 and we considered this when we made judgements in this report. We also reviewed other information that we held about the service such as notifications, which are events that happened in the service that the provider is required to tell us about.

We spoke with the local authority, which places people in the home and monitors their care. We also contacted Healthwatch for their information about the service. Healthwatch is a consumer organisation that has statutory powers to ensure the voice of the consumer is strengthened and heard by those who commission, deliver and regulate health and care services.

During the inspection we spoke with 10 people who used the service, seven members of staff, which included a team leader, a senior care worker, four support workers and a cook plus one of the registered managers covering the service and the regional operations manager.

We observed care and support in communal areas including lunch being served. Several people who used the service lived with a dementia related illness and so some of them could not describe their views of what the service was like; we undertook observations of care and support being given.

We looked at the care records of four people to see whether they reflected the care given and three staff recruitment records. We looked at other information related to the running of and the quality of the service. This included quality assurance audits, maintenance records, training information for care staff, minutes of meetings with staff and people using the service and arrangements for managing complaints.

Updated 2 February 2019

Beech Close Care Home is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as single package under one contractual agreement. The Care Quality Commission (CQC) regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection. The home is registered to accommodate 42 older people; at the time of our inspection, there were 28 people living there.

At our last inspection in June 2016, this service was rated overall good. At this inspection, we found that the service had deteriorated and there were areas which required improvement, the service has received an overall rating of requires improvement.

The inspection took place on the 10 December 2018 and was unannounced.

There was 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. At the time of the inspection the registered manager was on a planned leave of absence, two registered managers from the provider's other services were covering in their absence with the support of an operational manager.

The systems in place to monitor the quality and standard of the service are not always effective. People’s experience of daily life at the home are not fully captured to enable the provider to address any shortfalls.

Staffing levels are not always sufficient to meet people’s physical, social and emotional care needs safe and in a timely way. People would like more activities to keep them stimulated.

We have made a recommendation for the provider to consider in relation to the deployment of staff.

People are supported by staff who are friendly, kind and compassionate but who sometimes lack the insight around ensuring people’s privacy and dignity is maintained.

Detailed care plans are in place, which enable staff to provide consistent care and support in line with people’s personal preferences and choices. End of life care plans need to be enhanced further.

People are supported to have maximum choice and control of their day to day lives and staff support them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the home support this practice.

People have formed positive therapeutic relationships with staff and feel they are treated as individuals. Family and friends are welcome at any time and to take part in events at the home.

Staff are appropriately recruited and people are protected from the risk of harm and receive their prescribed medicines safely. Staff understand their responsibilities to keep people safe from any risk or harm and know how to respond if they have any concerns.

Staff understand the need to undertake specific assessments where people lack capacity to consent to their care and / or their day-to-day routines. People’s health care and nutritional are carefully considered and relevant health care professionals are appropriately involved in people’s care.

Staff have access to the support, supervision and training they require to work effectively in their roles. Development of staff knowledge and skills is encouraged.

The service has a positive ethos and an open culture. People know how to raise a concern or make a complaint and the provider has implemented effective systems to manage any complaints that they may receive.