We carried out a review of the data available to us about Beechwood House on 6 July 2023. We have not found evidence that we need to carry out an inspection or reassess our rating at this stage.
This could change at any time if we receive new information. We will continue to monitor data about this service.
If you have concerns about Beechwood House, you can give feedback on this service.
Beechwood House is a residential care home providing accommodation and personal care for up to 23 people older people, some of whom may be living with dementia. At the time of our inspection there were 17 people using the service. Beechwood House is arranged over three floors of one adapted building.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
People were safe. People’s risks were assessed, and staff followed guidance to ensure they were managed and reduced. The registered manager ensured there were always enough staff available to provide care and support. People’s medicines were administered by trained staff. The environment of the care home was clean, and staff followed good practice around food hygiene and infection prevention and control.
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.
Quality assurance processes were in place to monitor and drive improvement. The provider gathered feedback from people and their relatives and acted upon it, and the staff team felt supported and able to contribute their views. The service consistently worked collaboratively with external organisations to meet people’s needs.
Rating at last inspection and update
The last rating for this service was good (published 25 August 2017).
You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Beechwood House on our website at www.cqc.org.uk
Why we inspected
This inspection was prompted by a review of the information we held about this service.
Follow up
We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.
Beechwood House provides accommodation and personal care for up to 23 people who may have dementia. Nursing care Is not provided. The home is privately owned by the registered manager and her husband. There were 22 people using the service during this inspection.
The home had a registered manager. 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 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.
In May 2015, our inspection found that the service was overall good with good for all five questions.
People and their relatives said the management team and staff provided very good support and care, in a respectful way. They told us the home was a very nice place to live and they enjoyed living there. People also had the opportunity to do what they wanted and join in the activities if they wished.
The home provided a warm and welcoming atmosphere that was enabling and inclusive. Visiting relatives told us that they were always made welcome and the atmosphere was so inclusive that they weren’t just visiting their own relatives, but everyone living and working at the home. The home provided a safe environment for people to live and work in and was well maintained, well decorated and clean.
The home’s records were up to date, thorough, easy to understand and regularly reviewed. This enabled staff to perform their duties well and meet people's assessed needs.
The staff were very familiar with people using the service and their likes, dislikes, routines and preferences. They also treated people equally with the same level of attentive service. Staff had appropriate skills, qualifications and were focussed on providing individualised care and support in a professional, friendly and compassionate way. Whilst professional they also made themselves accessible to people using the service and their relatives. Staff said they had access to good training, support and career advancement.
People were protected from nutrition and hydration associated risks with balanced diets that also met their likes, dislikes and preferences. People and their relatives told us the choice of meals and quality of the food provided was very good. People were encouraged to discuss health needs with staff and had access to community based health care professionals, if they required them.
The management team at the home were approachable, responsive, nothing was too much trouble, and they encouraged feedback from people and consistently monitored and assessed the quality of the service provided.
This inspection took place on 21 May 2015 and was unannounced. At our last inspection in April 2013 the provider met the regulations we inspected.
Beechwood House is a residential care home that provides accommodation and personal care support for up to 23 older people, many of whom are living with dementia. Accommodation is arranged over three floors and there is passenger lift access. 22 people were using the service at the time of our inspection.
The home had a registered manager who was also one of the registered providers. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service and has the legal responsibility for meeting the requirements of the law; as does the provider.’
The service had robust systems in place to protect people from abuse or ill treatment. Staff were trained on safeguarding and understood their responsibilities to keep people safe from abuse and were clear what action they would take if they had any suspicion of abuse occurring .
The provider’s recruitment procedures were robust and helped ensure that people were protected from unsafe care. There were enough staff on duty day and night to make sure people’s needs were met in a safe and timely way.
People lived in a comfortably furnished home where the quality of the environment was regularly checked. Beechwood House was clean and well maintained, health and safety issues were taken into account and responded to appropriately with efficient care arrangements that helped minimise risks.
The staff were given ongoing training that enabled them to meet people’s different needs. Any further training needs had been identified and planned for. Staff were supported appropriately because they received regular supervision and appraisal. There was an effective system to review and monitor staff performance and development of their skills.
People’s rights were protected because the provider acted in accordance with the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards. This legislation is intended to ensure people receive the support they need to make their own decisions wherever possible. Staff understood people’s rights to make choices about their care and support and their responsibilities where people lacked capacity to consent or make decisions.
There were positive and caring relationships between staff and people who lived in the home and this extended to relatives and other visitors. Staff treated people who used the service and their guests with respect and courtesy. Staff maintained people’s privacy and dignity at all times and interacted with individuals in a caring and professional manner.
People’s care needs had been assessed prior to moving to the home and these were reviewed regularly with family members where appropriate. This included making adjustments to the care provided if required. The care records contained information about the care and support people required and were written in a way that recognised people’s needs and preferences.
People had a variety of nourishing food available at mealtimes and snacks through the day. Mealtimes were unrushed and people were encouraged and supported to eat a nutritional diet that also recognised their choices. Staff practice ensured people at risk of poor nutrition or dehydration were hydrated and well nourished.
People were supported to maintain good health and had access to healthcare services where required. Staff made prompt and appropriate referrals to other health or social care professionals when required. Medicines were managed safely and people had their medicines at the times they needed them.
There was an open and inclusive atmosphere in Beechwood House and people using the service and their relatives were often consulted about the services provided. Management completed regular audits to check the quality and safety of the service. Where improvements were identified, action was taken.
We looked at recruitment procedures in the service and found them to be effective. Appropriate checks were in place to help ensure the protection of the people using the service. There was ongoing staff training and supervision in place to help staff meet the needs of the people that they were supporting.
We looked at how the service manages medication. We saw that people were receiving their medication as it had been prescribed for them and in a safe way. Medication in the home was handled safely, securely and appropriately.
People who use the service had planned activities throughout the week, including indoor bowling, bingo, and quizzes. People told us they enjoyed singing along to the new karaoke machine. The home also has a visiting reminiscence service.
People we spoke to were positive about the staff.
One person described staff as 'top notch'give them a rosette'.