We carried out a review of the data available to us about St Barnabas Southwold on 6 July 2023. We have not found evidence that we need to carry out an inspection or reassess our rating at this stage.
This could change at any time if we receive new information. We will continue to monitor data about this service.
If you have concerns about St Barnabas Southwold, you can give feedback on this service.
St Barnabas Southwold is a registered care home that provides personal care to up to 14 people. At the time of the inspection there were 14 people living in the home. Most of these people were older adults with needs associated with physical disability, dementia or long-term conditions.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found.
People were consistently treated with kindness and compassion by the staff and had their privacy and dignity respected. People and their relatives described positive relationships with the staff and management team. People were encouraged and enabled to pursue their hobbies and participate in activities of their choice. There was a welcoming atmosphere in the home.
People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible. Staff were aware of risks to people’s safety and knew how to respond appropriately through safeguarding processes. People had access to healthcare services and appropriate referrals were made when their needs changed.
Staff deployment and organisation across the home was effectively managed. Staff felt supported by the registered manager and enjoyed their job, the training was relevant to meet people’s needs and they were encouraged to develop professionally. The home was clean and hygienic throughout and safe management of medicines was in place.
Feedback was welcomed, valued and acted on. People, relatives and professionals expressed confidence they could raise issues or concerns with any member of staff or the management team and that these would be addressed.
The registered manager was held in high regard and there was visible leadership in the home. Quality assurance and risk management systems to independently identify issues or to improve the service were in place which supported effective governance and oversight arrangements.
Rating at last inspection
The last rating for this service was Good (published 03 August 2017).
Why we inspected
This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.
Follow up
We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk
There was a registered manager in post. 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.
Staff had good relationships with people who used the service and their relatives. People were consulted on how they wanted to be supported, and different forums were used to enable them to share their views and influence change. The interactions between staff and people were caring, respectful, supported people's dignity and carried out in a respectful manner.
People were complementary about the quality of food which met their dietary needs and preferences. Dietary needs and nutrition were being managed and advice sought from appropriate health professionals as needed. Health care needs were met through being supported to access external health care professionals.
People felt that the service was providing safe care. Risks to people were being assessed and appropriate measures taken to minimise risk, without unnecessarily restricting people's independence. Staff understood their responsibilities in identifying and knowing what action to take to safeguard people’s welfare.
Improvements were needed to ensure medicines were consistently managed in a safe manner. Staff had received training and been given guidance. However, where staff were not completing people’s medicines records at the time of administration, there was a potential risk that a person may not be given their medicines as prescribed.
There were activities which people could take part in if they wished. The location of the service supported people to retain close links with the local community and retain friendships.
People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice. Their views were sought and used to influence and drive improvements within the service.
There were quality assurance processes in place to monitor the quality and safety of service people received and used to drive continuous improvement. Concerns and suggestions were listened to and acted on to drive improvements in the quality of the service they received. A complaints procedure was in place to ensure people's comments, concerns and complaints were listened to and addressed in a timely manner and used to improve the service.
People felt the service was well-led and supportive of people receiving a quality service which they would recommend to others.