Silver Birch Care Home

Updated 3 December 2024

Date of assessment: 21 January 2025 to 7 March 2025. Silver Birch Care Home is a residential nursing care home providing accommodation and personal care to up 75 older people in a purpose-built building across 3 floors. Some people were living with dementia, frailty, and/or mental health conditions. 68 people were living at the care home at the time of our assessment. This assessment was prompted by a review of information we held about the service. The care home overall rating has remained good.

People were supported to have choice and control in their daily lives and their views and preferences were listened to and acted upon. People and, where appropriate, their relatives and or representatives were involved in decisions about ongoing care and treatment arrangements and said the staff treated them kindly and with respect.

People’s individual needs and associated risks were regularly assessed and monitored, with appropriate mitigating actions and management plans in place. People’s medicines were managed and administered safely.

People were supported to access the local community and pursue their hobbies and interests. A range of meaningful activities and events took place in the service.

Oversight and governance processes in the service had been strengthened since our last inspection. Reporting and auditing systems supported the registered manager in addressing identified shortfalls through an accompanying action plan. Feedback from stakeholders and healthcare professionals cited positive relationships with management and the staff team.

There were enough safely recruited staff with the knowledge and skills to meet people’s needs. Staff understood how to report and escalate any concerns. However, further improvements were needed to embed a ‘whole home’ approach. The feedback from staff around the culture including freedom to speak up varied. The provider’s nominated individual gave assurances this would be prioritised. Feedback was also mixed regarding staffing arrangements including the organisation, deployment and leadership in the service. The provider was taking action to address the reliance on agency staff through active recruitment for care and activities staff, but the recent appointments had not started at the time of this assessment.

Updated 3 December 2024

People shared positive experiences of living at the service supported by attentive staff who were compassionate and delivered person-centred care. They told us they felt safe and comfortable with the staff and were involved in their care and support arrangements. One person said. “It’s alright here, they [staff] look after me pretty well, they keep an eye on you. I feel settled, got no complaints.” Another person shared, “At home you shut the door, here I am not lonely, here I have people, I came for respite and never went home, give them 10 out of 10, would recommend it, you are looked after and with other people.”

Relatives were overall satisfied with the quality of care provided and told us they were included in decision making if their family member was not always able. There were opportunities for people and relatives to share their views through surveys and meetings. One relative said, “Staff are 100%. I have no qualms, the home has got a good atmosphere, everyone speaks to you. I would recommend it; it is their caring side.” Another relative told us, “I get a lot of comfort knowing that they [staff] look after [family member] so well, they care for me too with food and drinks.”

People said they received person-centred care from knowledgeable and compassionate staff who treated them with dignity and respect. One person told us about the staff, “They are very kind and helpful.” Another person said, “I get on with the staff very well, they make a fuss of me, makes me feel good.”

People’s independence was supported and promoted by the staff. One person shared, “They [staff] are doing quite a bit to help me keep independent, they encourage me to do things for myself.”

People and relatives said the food provided was of a good quality and their feedback was acted on. One person said, “Food is alright, get plenty of variations. Chef has asked what people want; they are trying to add more things like take away style.”

Overall people and relatives were positive about the group activity provision during the week which was well attended but shared it did not always happen at weekends. One person said, “Pink ladies [activities staff] are the best, they work so hard, put a smile on your face, they come up with all sorts of things for us to do. Shame it so much quieter at the weekends, okay if you have a visitor but if not, it can be boring.” A relative shared, “Activities staff are very good, they put a lot of effort in stimulating the residents.”

People said their relatives and friends were able to visit anytime and there were various communal meeting spaces they could use so visiting was not restricted to their own bedroom.