Brailsford House

On this page

• Overview
• Person-centred Care
• Care provision, Integration and continuity
• Providing Information
• Listening to and involving people
• Equity in access
• Equity in experiences and outcomes
• Planning for the future

This means we looked for evidence that the provider met people’s needs.

At our last assessment we rated this key question good. At this assessment the rating has remained good. This meant people’s needs were met through good organisation and delivery.

This service scored 75 (out of 100) for this area. Find out what we look at when we assess this area and How we calculate these scores.

Leaders ensured people received individualised care which reflected their needs, risks and what was important to them. People’s care needs were discussed with them, or when appropriate their relatives, during their pre-admission assessment and regular reviews. This helped to ensure the care provided reflected what they needed and wanted. One person told us, “Everyone knows me and they ask me what I like and don’t like. It’s homely, they are brilliant.”

Care documentation included information about people’s needs, risks and preferences, to guide staff on how to support them in a person-centred way. Changes in people’s needs or risks were discussed with them, to enable joint decision making about any action to be taken, including referrals to community agencies for additional support or equipment. Staff knew people well and could describe their abilities and how they liked to be supported. One staff member commented, “Some staff have been here a long time. We know people well. It’s a small local community, so we know lots of the relatives well too.”

The registered manager and staff understood people’s diverse health and care needs and ensured their care was joined up and supported choice and continuity. People or their relatives were involved in regular discussions about their care needs. When people’s support needs changed, such as a deterioration in their health or mobility, joint decisions were made with them or their family members about any changes to their future support. This meant people were given choices and received joined up care which met their needs and helped maintain their safety and wellbeing.

People’s care documentation included detailed information about their health and care needs, to guide staff on how to support them and promote continuity of care. Staff completed the training necessary to meet the specific needs of people living at the service, which included dementia, diabetes and dysphagia awareness training.

Staff and management understood people’s communication needs and provided people with information in a format they could understand. People’s communication needs were identified during their pre-admission assessment and were reviewed regularly. Communication passports were in place and described how people communicated and any support they needed from staff.

Information about the service, such as the service user guide and complaints procedure, was available in a variety of formats, such as large print or easy read (simple words, short sentences, and pictures to make it easier to understand). This helped to ensure information was available to people in a format they could understand.

The registered manager ensured people’s care needs were discussed with them regularly and they were involved in any decisions about their care. When people were unable to express their views, their relatives were involved to ensure any decisions made were in their best interests.

People and relatives’ feedback about the service was sought during regular meetings, reviews and satisfaction surveys, when they were able to make suggestions and raise concerns. A suggestion box was also available. The notes from recent meetings showed people’s views were sought about issues such as meals and activities and their comments and suggestions were considered. A summary of satisfaction surveys completed by people and relatives in July 2026, showed positive feedback was received regarding staff kindness, cleanliness, the quality of care, staff, activities and meals. Some relatives mentioned the environment needed improvement and as noted earlier, the provider was in the process of addressing this. A number of compliments had been received from relatives, thanking staff for their kindness, compassion and praising the quality of care provided.

People and relatives told us they felt able to raise any concerns with staff or management and were confident they would be listened to. No-one we spoke with had made a formal complaint. Records showed complaints and concerns were investigated and responded to appropriately.

Management ensured people could access the care, support and treatment they needed when they needed it. Staff monitored people’s health and wellbeing and when there were changes or their condition deteriorated, their support was reviewed and any necessary changes implemented. Community agencies, such as GPs and community nurses were contacted when specialist support was needed to meet people’s needs and improve their quality of life and staff communicated regularly with any community professionals involved in people’s care. When people experienced barriers to accessing appropriate care, such as delays in receiving an appropriate diagnosis and treatment, the registered manager advocated on their behalf. This helped ensure people could access the care and support they needed when they needed it.

People’s care needs were discussed with them or their relatives, so their support could be tailored to their individual needs. Care documentation was detailed and guided staff on how to support people in a way which reflected their needs and what mattered most to them. Where people needed specialist support or equipment to meet their needs and improve the quality of their life, this was arranged. The registered manager provided examples of how the care provided by staff had supported people to make major changes, which resulted in significant improvements to their quality of life. People and relatives spoke positively about the support provided and felt it resulted in good outcomes for people. They told us, “They are very good here. They do look after us well, they do their best” and “It’s very nice and comfortable here. They take their time to check you are alright.”

People and relatives told us they felt able to raise any concerns with staff and management. This helped to ensure any issues could be addressed, resulting in improved experiences and outcomes for people. Staff completed equality and diversity training, which helped ensure they understood the importance of treating people fairly and addressing any discrimination.

People were supported to plan for important life changes, including the end of their life, so they could make informed decisions about their future. Staff discussed people’s end of life care wishes with them, to ensure the support they received at the end of their life reflected what was important to them. When people were unable to discuss their wishes, their relatives were consulted, so any decisions made reflected people’s best interests and what they would have wanted. Care documentation included information about people’s end of life wishes, including resuscitation and hospital admission, to guide staff. Staff completed end of life care training, which helped them provide people with good end of life care.