Archived: Beech Trees

Beech Trees is a residential care home providing personal care to 7 people with learning and physical disabilities at the time of the inspection. The service can support up to 7 people.

The service has been developed and designed in line with the principles and values that underpin Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. This ensures that people who use the service can live as full a life as possible and achieve the best possible outcomes. The principles reflect the need for people with learning disabilities and/or autism to live meaningful lives that include control, choice, and independence. People using the service receive planned and co-ordinated person-centred support that is appropriate and inclusive for them.

People’s experience of using this service and what we found

There were systems in place to safeguard people from the risk of abuse. Safe staffing levels were maintained, and staff had been recruited safely. Medicines were managed appropriately, and the service was clean and tidy with infection risks managed well. The service was reflective in the way events and incidents were reviewed in order to improve care.

People’s needs were assessed and kept under review. People were supported to maintain good health and had choice over their meals. Staff had access to the training that they needed and there was good communication within the team. The premises were very homely with a lot of personalisation. Staff took appropriate steps to ensure people’s legal rights were promoted and upheld regarding consent for care.

There was a clear focus on promoting people's independence and a lot of meaningful engagement between staff and people. People enjoyed positive relationships with the staff who supported them.

People were supported to meet their cultural needs and were actively included in all aspects of their care with their choices being respected.

People had opportunities to do their chosen activities. Communication needs were met and there was good information available to support staff to understand residents’ individual communication styles. People were encouraged and supported to share their views. When concerns were raised, they were listened to and acted upon.

Feedback from staff and people’s relatives about the manager was positive. Staff said that the manager is supportive and communicates well with them. Staff were encouraged to put forward their ideas for improvements and given individual responsibilities. People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible.

The outcomes for people using the service reflected the principles and values of Registering the Right Support by promoting choice and control, independence and inclusion. People's support focused on them having as many opportunities as possible for them to gain new skills and become more independent.

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 16 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.

There was a registered manager in place. 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.

People were safe because staff understood any risks involved in their care and took action to minimise these risks. The rota was planned to ensure there were sufficient staff to keep people safe and meet their needs. Staff understood their roles in keeping people safe and protecting them from abuse. The provider carried out appropriate pre-employment checks before staff started work.

Medicines were managed safely. Accidents and incidents were recorded and reviewed to ensure any measures that could prevent a recurrence had been implemented. Staff maintained appropriate standards of fire safety. The provider had developed plans to ensure people would continue to receive care in the event of an emergency.

People’s care was provided by staff who knew their needs well and provided support in a consistent way. Staff had access to the induction, training and support they needed to do their jobs. 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.

People were supported to eat food they enjoyed and were encouraged to maintain a healthy diet. Staff were aware of any dietary restrictions involved in people’s care. People’s healthcare needs were monitored and they were supported to obtain treatment if they needed it. People who had ongoing conditions were supported to see specialist healthcare professionals regularly.

People enjoyed living at the home and had developed positive relationships with staff and their housemates. Staff treated people with respect and maintained their privacy and dignity. People were encouraged to be independent and were supported by staff to learn and develop new skills.

People had access to activities they enjoyed and had opportunities to enjoy an active social life.

There were appropriate procedures for managing complaints and people were confident they would be listened to if they had any concerns. One relative had an unresolved complaint at the time of our inspection. The relative was dissatisfied with the provider's response to their complaint and had escalated their concerns. The provider was in dialogue with the relative and other agencies to work towards a resolution.

The service was well led, with an open and inclusive culture. People and staff said the registered manager was approachable and supportive. Staff shared important information about people’s needs effectively. Team meetings were used to ensure staff were providing consistent care that reflected best practice.

The provider’s quality monitoring checks ensured people received safe and effective care. Staff worked co-operatively with other professionals to ensure people received the care and treatment they needed. Records were well organised and up to date.