Archived: Braeburn Care (Sevenoaks)

This service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own houses and flats in the community. It provides a service to people living with dementia, older people, people with learning disabilities and autistic spectrum disorder, people with a mental illness and people who have a physical disability.

Not everyone using Braeburn Care (Sevenoaks) receives a regulated activity; CQC only inspects the service being received by people provided with ‘personal care’; help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do we also take into account any wider social care provided. There were 39 people receiving support with their personal care when we inspected.

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.

Risks to people's safety and welfare had not always been well managed to make sure they were protected from harm. The management team took immediate action to address this. We made a recommendation about this.

The provider had followed effective recruitment procedures to check that potential staff employed were of good character and had the skills and experience needed to carry out their roles. Staff had attended training relevant to people's needs. They were provided with one to one supervision meetings and regular spot checks to ensure that they were putting their training into practice.

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.

Effective systems were in place to enable the provider to assess, monitor and improve the quality and safety of the service. The service worked in partnership with health and social care professionals to ensure people received joined up care. People had opportunities to feedback about the service they received.

People were supported and helped to maintain their health and to access health services. Timely action had been taken when people's health needs changed.

Medicines were well managed. Staff had received medicines training. Medicines had been recorded adequately and medicines records were audited regularly.

People's care plans were clear for staff about how they should meet people’s care and support needs.

Essential information about people such as their life history, likes, dislikes and preferences were included. Care plans had been reviewed and amended regularly to ensure they reflected each person's current need or specific healthcare needs.

People knew who to complain to if they needed to. The complaints procedure was available in the office and people had copies within their handbooks in their homes. Complaints had been handled effectively, the provider had made improvements as a result of complaints.

People were protected from abuse or the risk of abuse. The registered manager and staff were aware of their roles and responsibilities in relation to safeguarding people.

Some people received support to prepare and cook meals and drinks to meet their nutritional and hydration needs.

There were suitable numbers of staff on shift to meet people's needs. People received consistent support from staff they knew well.

People's information was treated confidentially. People's records were stored electronically and were accessed by staff who had been allocated passwords.

People and relatives told us that staff were kind and caring. Staff treated people with dignity and respect.

People were supported at the end of their life to have a comfortable, dignified and pain free death. Staff were respectful, gentle and kind and did all they could to ensure people were not in pain.

Staff were positive about the support they received from the management team. They felt they could raise concerns and they would be listened to.

Staff used personal protective equipment to safeguard themselves and people from the risks of infection.