Background to this inspection
Updated
11 March 2020
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. We checked whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Act. We looked at the overall quality of the service and provided a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.
Inspection team
The inspection was completed by one inspector.
Service and service type
Brambling House is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement. 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
This inspection was unannounced.
What we did before the inspection
The provider was not asked to complete a provider information return prior to this inspection. This is information we require providers to send us to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We took this into account when we inspected the service and made the judgements in this report. We reviewed the information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We used all this information to plan our inspection.
During the inspection
We spoke with one person who used the service and one relative about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with six members of staff including the provider, registered manager, deputy manager, senior care workers and care workers. We used the Short Observational Framework for Inspection (SOFI). SOFI is a way of observing care to help us understand the experience of people who could not talk with us.
We reviewed a range of records. This included four people’s care records and multiple medication records. We looked at two staff files in relation to recruitment and staff supervision. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures were reviewed.
Updated
11 March 2020
About the service
Brambling House is a residential care home providing personal care to 17 older people who may be living with dementia at the time of the inspection. The service can support up to 20 people in one large adapted house.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
People indicated they were happy living at the service. They were smiling and laughing, they spent time with staff and gave them hugs.
Potential risks to people’s health, welfare and safety had been assessed and there was guidance in place to reduce risks. Accidents and incidents had been recorded and analysed, action had been taken to reduce the risk of them happening again. There were systems in place to protect people from the risk of discrimination and abuse.
People’s medicines were managed safely. Staff monitored people’s health and referred people to relevant health professionals and followed the advice given to keep people as healthy as possible.
Staff had been recruited safely and received training appropriate to their role. Staff received supervision and appraisal to develop their knowledge and skills.
People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.
People met with the registered manager before they moved into the service to check staff could meet their needs. People had care plans detailing their choices and preferences and had been reviewed regularly.
People were supported to eat a balanced diet, people had a choice of meals. People had access to activities they enjoyed. People received information in ways they could understand.
People were treated with dignity and respect. People were supported to be as independent as possible. When expressed people’s end of life wishes were recorded. Staff worked with the GP and district nurses to support people at the end of their lives.
The registered manager completed checks and audits on the quality of the service and acted when shortfalls were found. There was an open and transparent culture within the service. Relatives told us they knew how to complain and were confident the registered manager would take action.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk
Rating at last inspection
The last rating for this service was Good (published 5 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.