Archived: Beechwood House

Updated 24 November 2016

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection was planned to check 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 inspection took place on 10 October 2016. The inspection team was comprised of one inspector and an expert by experience in the care of older people. An expert-by-experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of care service.

We looked at all of the key information we held about the service which included notifications. Notifications are changes, events or incidents that providers must tell us about.

We received written information from the Local Authority’s contract monitoring officer prior to our visit. We spoke with six people using the service and one relative during the visit. We looked at two people’s care and support plans. We reviewed other records relating to the support people received and how the service was managed. This included some of the provider’s checks of the quality and safety of people’s care and support, staff training and recruitment records. We spoke with the registered manager and three staff. We also spoke with two health and social care professionals and three relatives by telephone following our visit.

Updated 24 November 2016

Beechwood House provides accommodation for up to 10 older people, some who are living with dementia, who require personal care. There were 8 people using the service at the time of our inspection.

This inspection took place on 10 October 2016 and was unannounced.

There was a registered manager at the service. 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 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

The service was following the guidance in people’s risk assessments and care plans and the risk of unsafe care was reduced. People’s records were up to date and indicated that care was being provided as detailed in people’s assessments. The records had been updated to reflect changes in people’s care needs. Medicines were managed safely. People were safeguarded from abuse because the provider had relevant guidance in place and staff were knowledgeable about the reporting procedure.

Consent to care and support had been sought and staff acted in accordance with people’s wishes. Legal requirements had been followed consistently where people were potentially being restricted. People told us they enjoyed their food and we saw meals were nutritious. People’s health needs were met. Referrals to external health professionals were made in a timely manner.

People and their relatives told us the care staff were caring and kind and that their privacy and dignity was maintained when personal care was provided. Relatives were involved in the planning of their care and support. There was a range of activities and events available to enable people to take part in hobbies and interests of their choice. There was a clear procedure for the management of complaints.

The leadership of the service was praised by external professionals and relatives and communication systems were effective. Systems to monitor the quality of the service Identified issues for improvement. These were resolved in a timely manner and the provider had obtained feedback about the quality of the service from people, their relatives and staff.