Archived: Barnby Court Care Home

We found the following examples of good practice.

¿ Visitors were prevented from catching and spreading the infection. All visitors to the home were screened for symptoms of an infection. Visits were agreed in advance and were taking place in line with national guidance to ensure social distancing. Visitors were provided with personal protective equipment (PPE).

¿ People were encouraged and supported to maintain contact with their relatives through use of mobile phones and video calls.

¿ People and staff were assessed daily for the development of high temperature and other signs which could indicate infection. Staff knew what to do when someone became unwell.

¿ People and staff took place in regular COVID-19 “whole home” testing. People and staff who tested positive followed national guidance and self-isolated for the required amount of time.

¿ The provider ensured there were good supplies of PPE for staff to wear. Staff had received training on how to don and doff their PPE. There were PPE stations located throughout the home to prevent the risk of infection spread.

¿ The provider had converted one bedroom to a staff room to ensure staff could change their uniforms at the start and end of their shift.

¿ Tables and chairs in communal areas were spaced out to allow social distancing. Cleaning of frequent touch points such as handrails and light switches had been increased.

¿ The registered manager completed a daily walk round of the home to ensure the environment was clean and hygienic. The registered manager had been open and transparent and worked closely with the Local Authority throughout the outbreak.

¿ The home looked clean although the environment appeared to be dated. The provider told us there were plans in place for a refurbishment, however due to the COVID-19 pandemic the work had been delayed.

We were assured this service met good infection prevention and control guidelines.

Further information is in the detailed findings below.

Barnby Court is a care home providing personal and nursing care for up to 25 people. There were 24 people using the service at the time of the inspection, some of whom were living with dementia.

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

People and their relatives told us they were very happy with the care received at Barnby Court. There were numerous positive comments about the friendliness and approachability of staff.

The premises needed updating. The décor was tired in some areas in the home and there was a lack of attention to design features to support people living with dementia. There were plans for refurbishment and we were provided with details of what this would include.

At our last inspection we found people were not always supported to maintain social interests or take part in activities. At this inspection we found this had improved with more opportunities for engagement and involvement available to people.

The premises were clean and safely maintained. Individual risks to people were assessed.

There were sufficient numbers of staff on duty, and safe recruitment procedures were followed to reduce the risk of unsuitable staff being employed.

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 were assisted to eat a balanced diet and support was provided for those with additional nutritional needs.

Staff knew people well and we saw multiple examples of kind and caring interactions.

Care plans were person-centred and kept under regular review.

Systems were in place to monitor the safety and quality of the service. Staff and relative spoke highly of the registered manager.

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 13 October 2016).

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.

Barnby Court Care Home is located in a village near Retford in Nottinghamshire. The home provides accommodation, respite and personal care for up to 25 older people, some of whom are living with dementia.

The home had a registered manager at the time of our inspection. 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, and their relatives, were supported by staff to keep safe. People were protected from the risk of abuse as management and staff understood their role in keeping people safe from harm.

We found that individual risk assessments were in place for specific aspects of people’s care. People’s care plans contained clear guidance for staff about how to keep people safe and staff were aware of, and followed the guidance. Checks to equipment and the environment were carried out to ensure people’s safety.

The number of staff matched with the levels determined by the provider as being required to keep people safe. People told us, and we observed that people had their needs met in a timely way.

People were happy with the support they received with their medicines. We saw that the management of medicines was safe and that action had been taken to improve the recording of medicines administration.

People were supported by staff who had received training and were supported by the management team to ensure they could perform their roles and responsibilities effectively.

People were encouraged to make independent decisions and legislation to protect people who lacked capacity was being adhered to. Staff told us about how they supported people to make choices and decisions and people had not been deprived of their liberty without the required authorisation being applied for.

People were protected from the risks of inadequate nutrition and specialist diets were provided if needed. Referrals were made to health care professionals for additional support or guidance if people’s health changed.

People were treated with dignity and respect and their choices and preferences were respected. We saw staff were kind and caring when supporting people. People and their relatives contributed to the planning and review of their care as appropriate.

Improvements were required to ensure people were supported to maintain their interests and were given opportunities to engage in activities. We observed a lack of engagement and stimulation at times and it was not always clearly recorded that people’s needs were being met at the required intervals.

People and their relatives were provided with opportunities to raise issues with the management team and complaints were dealt with appropriately.

Management systems were effective in monitoring the quality of service provision and responding to any issues. People felt that the registered manager was visible and approachable and records confirmed that the feedback of people, their relatives and staff were sought to drive improvements at the service.

We saw evidence that people were consulted before receiving care. One of the people who used the service told us, 'They (staff) always talk to me and discuss things with me.' A relative we spoke with told us, 'They (staff) talk to my family member about their care and treat them with respect.'

People were protected from the risks of inadequate nutrition and dehydration. A person who used the service told us, "The food is very good, we have a wide variety."

There were enough qualified, skilled and experienced staff to meet people's needs. A relative of a person who used the service told us, "There are enough staff, even at meal times they seem able to help people."

We saw that records relevant to the management of the service were well maintained and reflected the needs of people who used the service.