21 September 2021
During a routine inspection
Baycroft Flitiwick is a care home providing personal and nursing care to 17 people aged 65 and over who may be living with dementia, a physical disability or sensory impairment at the time of the inspection. The service can support up to 75 people. The home is built over three floors with all bedrooms containing an ensuite wet room and sharing facilities including communal lounges, a fitness suite, a hairdressing salon, a children’s entertainment room, a cinema room, a bistro café , an overnight guest room and three outdoor garden areas.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
Quality assurance systems were in place, however these required development to ensure they were robust in addressing failings within the service. The registered manager told us they were reviewing information recorded in the quality records to ensure this was robust and supported driving improvement
The environment was not suitable for people living with dementia. The registered manager told us this was being addressed and additional pictorial signage and decoration was being sourced to improve people's experience.
Relatives told us there was a high use of agency staff however they were aware that recruitment was taking place. One relative told us they felt the core staff team were knowledgeable and skilled to meet the needs of people. Staff completed an induction process which prepared them to complete their role.
Staff and relatives spoke positively about the interim deputy manager and provided feedback which included, “[Interim deputy manager’s name] is a hard worker and wants to help everybody. They are very approachable.”
Relatives found the environment to be clean and well maintained.
Staff were caring and passionate in their work. Feedback from relatives included, "All staff, not just the carers but receptionist, admin and catering team are all brilliant in encouraging people. They are a very caring and kind team who make time to listen to people."
Staff encouraged people to maintain their independence, hobbies and interests. Relative feedback included, “The staff are physically attentive and are aware of needs of people and are genuinely interested in providing good care.”
Relatives told us they found the food to be appetising. Feedback regarding the dining experience included, "The food is lovely and there is a lot of choice. Families are encouraged to sit and have a meal together if they choose at meal times."
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.
Relatives told us they had been supported to stay in touch during the COVID-19 pandemic through use of the telephone and video calls. Window visits had also been made available and a designated room had been identified for pre-booked visits to take place. The service had promptly acted when guidance changed and supported relatives to visit as an essential carer.
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 22/08/2019 and this is the first inspection.
Why we inspected
This was a planned inspection as a newly registered service.
We looked at infection prevention and control measures under the Safe key question. We look at this in all care home inspections even if no concerns or risks have been identified. This is to provide assurance that the service can respond to COVID-19 and other infection outbreaks effectively.
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.