Buckingham Care Home

Updated 31 January 2024

Buckingham Care Home is a residential care home providing accommodation and personal care to older people, some of whom are living with dementia. The service can support up to 72 people over 2 floors and 4 units, each with a separate dining room and lounge. At the time of this inspection there were 34 people living at Buckingham and two units were being used at the service. We rated this service under our previous methodology on 7 March 2023, where it was inspected and rated requires improvement overall. We found two breaches of regulations relating to good governance and infection control. We carried out this assessment on 20 February 2024. We looked at all the quality statements under the key questions, Safe, Effective and Well-led. We also looked at the following quality statements, Independence, choice and control and Equity in experiences and outcomes. We found the provider had met the requirements of the regulations and was no longer in breach. However, we found further improvement was required in some areas. We found the service rated requires improvement overall.

Updated 31 January 2024

Most relatives felt their family member was safe living at the home and said they would speak with staff if they had any concerns. Comments included, “I would talk to [manager] she’s very, very approachable, she is very good” and “They [staff] respond really well, the manager responds and looks into things.” However, one relative felt concerns were not always resolved effectively. Most relatives raised concerns about the number of agency staff and overseas workers deployed at the service. They told us this impacted on the quality of care provided to their family member either due to a lack of skills and/or English language ability. One relative said, “If she’s in pain she tells them but they are not able to pick it up.” Some relatives felt staff were caring and kind. One relative said, “Some do [staff have skills], I’ve raised this with the manager. They [staff] are very kind, very gentle, very caring.” Most people told us they received their medicines as prescribed. People and relatives told us the service was clean and did not raise any concerns about infection control. Relatives said their family members were able to make choices for themselves where this was possible. People’s family and friends were free to visit when they wished. Relatives made positive comments about the wellbeing co-ordinator who provided a range of activities within the service. Comments included, “[wellbeing co-ordinator] is amazing so full of fun and so pleasant” and “Her creativity is superb, she has lifted the place.” Relatives told us they were kept fully informed about their family member’s wellbeing.