The Beeches

Updated 9 January 2018

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 comprehensive inspection was undertaken by one inspector on 28 November 2017 and was unannounced.

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. We also looked at information that we had received about the service. This included information we received from the local authority and any notifications from the provider. Statutory notifications include information about important events which the provider is required to send us by law.

Some people using the service had complex needs that meant we could not obtain their verbal comments about it. We spent time sitting with staff and the service users who chose to join us and noting their approaches and responses. We also spent time listening to interactions between staff and people using the service. We spoke with two relatives by telephone.

During the inspection process, we spoke with the outgoing registered manager, the deputy manager and four staff working in the service. We looked at two people’s care and medicines records. We looked at records relating to two staff. We also looked at the provider’s arrangements for supporting staff, managing complaints and monitoring and assessing the quality of the services provided at the home.

Updated 9 January 2018

The Beeches 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 care home accommodates four people in an adapted ordinary family style residential property. The care service has been developed and designed in line with the values that underpin the Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. These values include choice, promotion of independence and inclusion. People with learning disabilities and autism using the service can live as ordinary a life as any citizen.

At the last inspection, the service was rated Good. At this inspection we found the service remained Good.

A registered manager was in post. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the. Registered persons have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Like registered providers, they are ‘registered persons’ Social Care Act 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

The registered manager was in the process of leaving the service. A new manager had been appointed and had been working in the service as the deputy manager to ensure consistent management of the service was maintained.

Procedures were in place to protect people from harm and staff knew how to use them to keep people safe. Recruitment procedures were robust. Risk management plans were in place to support people and their safety. There were also processes in place to manage any risks in relation to the running of the service. Medicines were safely managed in line with current guidance to ensure people received their prescribed medicines to meet their needs.

There were enough staff to keep people safe. Staff felt well inducted and trained and used their training effectively. People were helped to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

People’s needs were assessed and they had support to access healthcare professionals and services. People were encouraged to eat well and choose healthier food options to maintain their health and well-being.

Staff were caring and respected people’s privacy, dignity and independence. People were supported in a person centred way. Care plans were detailed and people and those who mattered to them were included in developing these. Relatives felt able to be express any concerns, that that they would be listened to and actions would be taken.

The service was well led; relatives and staff knew the registered manager and found them to be approachable and available in the home. People and their relatives had the opportunity to say how they felt about the home and the service it provided. The provider and registered manager had systems in place to check on the quality and safety of the service provided and to put actions plans in place where needed.