Archived: The Briars

Updated 30 May 2019

The inspection: We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (the Act) as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection was planned to check whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Act, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

Inspection team: This inspection was carried out by one inspector.

Service and service type: The Briars is a 'care home'. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as single package under one contractual agreement. The Care Quality Commission (CQC) regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

The service had a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. This means that they and the provider are legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided.

Notice of inspection: The inspection took place on 30 April 2019. We gave the service one days’ notice of the inspection. We provided the registered manager with an easy-read poster, including a photograph of the inspector, for use by care staff when reassuring the people who lived there, about the inspection. We returned on 1 May 2019 to complete the inspection.

What we did: Before the inspection the provider completed a Provider Information Return (PIR). Providers are required to send us key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. This information helps support our inspections. We reviewed the PIR and other information we held about the service such as notifications. These are events which happened in the service that the provider is required to tell us about. We sought feedback from the local authority who monitor the care and support people received and Healthwatch Leicestershire, the local consumer champion for people using adult social care services. We used all this information to plan our inspection.

During inspection: We spoke with two people who use the service, the provider, who was also the registered manager, three care workers and the administrator. We observed support being provided in the communal areas of the service. We looked at six people’s care records as well as records relating to the management of the home.

After inspection: The registered manager provided us with some of the provider’s policies and procedures, as well as the statement of purpose for our information. We also spoke with four relatives of people on the telephone, and asked them for their views of the service.

Updated 30 May 2019

About the service: The Briars is a residential care home providing care and support for up to 7 adults with a learning disability. There were 6 people at the time inspection.

The care service has been developed and designed in line with the values that underpin Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. These values include choice, promotion of independence and inclusion. The aim is that people with learning disabilities and autism using the service can live as ordinary a life as any citizen.

People’s experience of using this service:

At this inspection we found people lived in an environment that was both homely and met their support needs. However, we found that shower hot water exceeded safe temperatures and presented a scalding risk to people.

There were enough care staff to be able to support people safely. However, we found that required staff checks such as employment references, and work history records, were not complete. This meant there was a risk of unsuitable staff being employed to provide care to people.

The care home ownership had changed from a Partnership to a Limited Company. The provider had not notified CQC about that change in the status of the care home, something that it is required to do by law.

People received kind and caring support from staff who knew how to meet their needs. We observed staff talking kindly to people and treating them with respect.

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and care staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice

People were supported to take their prescribed medicines and care staff followed systems and procedures to ensure medicines were administered safely.

People were supported with their dietary needs and to get medical attention when they needed it. People had personalised plans of care which gave staff the knowledge and information to support them in a way that people preferred.

The registered manager worked in partnership with others to ensure people received safe care and support. People had the choice to engage with a variety of activities including adult education and local community social groups.

People, and their relatives, told us that the registered manager was approachable, and that any concerns they raised had been dealt with effectively.

The registered manager had a quality assurance system in place to monitor the safety and quality of the service.

More information can be found in the detailed findings below.

Rating at last inspection: Requires Improvement: 21 May 2018

At the previous inspection we found that the service was in breach of Regulation 18; Registration Regulations 2009: Notifications of other incidents.

The provider had failed to notify a number of safeguarding incidents to CQC as is required by law.

Additionally, the provider was not monitoring incidents sufficiently and people's risk assessments had not been regularly reviewed and updated and did not always accurately record the current risks.

We had also not been assured that there were always sufficient care staff on duty to meet people’s needs.

The provider had made the required improvements in all these areas.

Why we inspected: This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.

Enforcement: Action we told provider to take (refer to end of full report)

Follow up: We will continue to monitor the service through the information we receive.

For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk