Northbrooke House

Updated 22 April 2025

Date of Assessment: 11 April to 30 April 2025. The service is a residential care service providing support to older people including those who are living with dementia.

This assessment was prompted due to concerns raised to CQC around the management of the service and that a negative culture amongst staff was affecting service users. Since the allegations had been made the provider had taken action to change the homes management team and increase the level of management oversight at the service. We attended the service unannounced and found no evidence to confirm the allegations. Staff, people and family members as well as external professionals were all positive about the new management team.

People were treated with kindness and compassion. Staff protected people’s privacy and dignity and treated them as individuals supporting their preferences. People had choice in their care and were encouraged to maintain relationships with family and friends. Staff responded to people in a timely way. The provider supported staff wellbeing.

People were protected and kept safe. Staff understood and managed risks. The environment and equipment met people’s needs, were clean and well-maintained. There were enough staff with the right skills, qualifications and experience. Staff managed medicines well.

People and family members were involved in assessments of their needs and care was based on latest evidence and good practice. People had enough to eat and drink to stay healthy. Staff worked with all agencies involved in people’s care for the best outcomes and smooth transitions when moving services. They monitored people’s health to support healthy living. Staff made sure people understood their care and treatment to enable them to give informed consent.

People knew how to give feedback and were confident the management team took it seriously and acted on it. The management team and staff had a shared vision and culture based on listening, learning and trust. Managers were visible, knowledgeable and supportive, helping staff develop in their roles. Staff felt supported to give feedback and were treated equally, free from bullying or harassment. There was a culture of continuous improvement with staff enabled to try new ideas. People received fair and equal care and treatment.

Updated 22 April 2025

People and family members were very positive about the quality of care provided at Northbrooke House. We observed and were told by people, family members and visiting health and social care professionals that people were treated in an exceptionally caring and compassionate way by a staff team who showed genuine empathy for them as individuals. People said they received high quality care from knowledgeable staff who treated them as individuals. One family member said, “I’m very happy with his care here. He was ill before he came here from hospital but is doing well and settling in well.” People felt safe, were involved in planning their care and understood their rights. Several people described how staff treated them kindly and made sure any personal care was done sensitively, preserving their privacy and dignity. There were group and individual activities and outings to keep people physically and mentally active. A family member told us, “You can have a cup of tea anytime and I’ve had lunch with my family. I didn’t feel They were making a special effort; we are all part of the one family.”

Some people could not directly tell us about their experience. We used a structured observation tool to assess whether they received good care. This approach showed all people were included and listened to and staff consistently interacted positively with them. People and family members felt able to complain should the need arise and knew staff and the management team well. Family members and external health and social care professionals said they would recommend the home to others.