Background to this inspection
Updated
15 January 2020
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
The inspection was carried out by one inspector 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.
Service and service type
Bernhard Baron Cottage Homes is a ‘care 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, 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
The first day of the inspection was unannounced.
What we did before the inspection
Before the inspection we reviewed the information, we held about the service and the service provider. The registered provider completed a Provider Information Return (PIR). Providers are required to send us this key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. This information helps support our inspections. We sought feedback from the local authority. We looked at the notifications we had received for this service. Notifications are information about important events the service is required to send us by law. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.
During the inspection
People who lived in the cottages were independent and did not receive any regular support. Therefore, we did not look at their care plans. However, we spent time talking with them and people who lived in the main house. We spoke with twelve people who used the service about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with fifteen members of staff.
We spent time observing in areas throughout the home and could see the interactions between people and staff. We watched how people were being cared for by staff in communal areas. This included the lunchtime meal and activities.
We reviewed a range of records. This included five people’s care records and multiple medication records. We looked at recruitment procedures and a variety of records relating to the management of the service.
After the inspection
We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found. We looked at survey results the registered manager sent to us. We contacted two health and social care professionals who visited the service for their feedback.
Updated
15 January 2020
About the service
Bernhard Baron Cottage Homes is a residential care home providing accommodation and support for up to 60 older people. At the time of the inspection there were 55 people living at the home. People were living with a range of needs associated with the frailties of old age.
The home includes 24 self-contained cottages and a main building with 36 bedrooms. The service is a registered charity and managed by a board of appointed trustees.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
People received an exceptionally personalised service that met their specific needs, preferences and wishes. The service was led by people who lived at the home. They had forums which they led to consistently improve their day to day lives and other people’s lives. They developed, promoted and engaged in a wide range of activities that were meaningful to them and that they enjoyed. The activities ensured people continued to live useful and productive lives when they moved into the home. They also ensured people were able to develop new friendships, interests and hobbies.
Staff were kind and caring. They embraced the home’s Quaker ethos of treating everyone as an individual and fully respecting their choices and wishes. People praised staff for their kindness and support.
Staff understood the risks associated with the people they supported. Risk assessments provided further guidance for staff about individual and environmental risks. People were supported to receive their medicines when they needed them.
People were protected from the risks of harm, abuse or discrimination because staff knew what actions they should take if they identified concerns. There were enough staff, who had been safely recruited, working to provide the support people needed, at times of their choice.
Staff received training and supervision to help them meet the needs of people living at the home. Staff told us they were well supported by the registered manager and their colleagues.
People's health and well-being needs were met. They were supported to receive healthcare services when they needed them. People were supported to eat a wide range of healthy, freshly cooked meals, drinks and snacks each day.
The management team were well thought of. They were proactive in developing and improving the service. They ensured that changes and improvements were for the benefit of people and staff.
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 supported this practice.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk
Rating at last inspection
The last rating for this service was good (published 20 December 2016).
Why we inspected
This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.
Follow up
We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.