Birchfield Residential Care Home

Updated 21 March 2023

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 Health and Social Care Act 2008.

As part of this inspection we looked at the infection control and prevention measures in place. This was conducted so we can understand the preparedness of the service in preventing or managing an infection outbreak, and to identify good practice we can share with other services.

Inspection team

The inspection was undertaken by 1 inspector and an Expert by Experience. An Expert by Experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of care service.

Service and service type

Birchfield Residential Care Home is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing and/or personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement dependent on their registration with us. Birchfield Residential Care Home is a care home without nursing care. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

Registered Manager

This provider is required to have a registered manager to oversee the delivery of regulated activities at this location. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Registered managers and providers are legally responsible for how the service is run, for the quality and safety of the care provided and compliance with regulations.

At the time of our inspection there was a registered manager in post.

Notice of inspection

This inspection was unannounced.

Inspection activity started on 8 February 2023 and ended on 10 February 2023.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We sought feedback from the local authority and professionals who work with the service. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return (PIR). This is information providers are required to send us annually with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. We used all this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with 5 people who lived at the home and 8 relatives. We spoke with 10 members of staff including domestic staff, care staff, the deputy manager and the registered manager.

We looked at a range of documents including 3 care plans, medicine records and risk assessments. We looked at 3 staff recruitment files, policies, procedures and audits.

Updated 21 March 2023

About the service

Birchfield Residential Care Home is a care home providing personal care to up to 24 people. The service provides support to older people and people living with dementia. At the time of our inspection there were 21 people using the service.

The home is set over 2 floors, and has good sized communal areas, dining room and garden area. There are stair lifts available and there is space for visitors to park.

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

We have made a recommendation about the management of some medicines. People were supported by staff that knew them and their needs well. People were protected from the risk of abuse and risks were assessed and managed well. The home was clean and comfortable, and people were protected from the risk of mistakes being repeated.

People’s needs were assessed in line with guidance, and staff had the right skills and experience to do their job. People were supported to maintain healthy lives and supported to eat and drink a balanced diet. 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 supported by staff that enjoyed their jobs. People spoke highly about the service and a relative told us, “My relative likes all the staff and there is good interaction.” The registered manager made changes to improve staff morale. The registered manager understood risk and understood their statutory responsibilities. People, their relatives and staff were listened to and their views helped develop the service.

For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk

Rating at last inspection and update

The last rating for this service was requires improvement (published 8 August 2019). The provider completed an action plan after the last inspection to show what they would do and by when to improve.

At this inspection we found improvements had been made and the provider was no longer in breach of regulations.

At our last inspection we recommended that the provider consider guidance regarding the storage of oxygen, and that accidents and incidents were recorded and monitored. Improvements had been made in these areas at this inspection.

Why we inspected

We looked at infection prevention and control measures under the Safe key question. We look at this in all care home inspections even if no concerns or risks have been identified. This is to provide assurance that the service can respond to COVID-19 and other infection outbreaks effectively.

We carried out an unannounced comprehensive inspection of this service on 9 July 2019. Breaches of legal requirements were found. The provider completed an action plan after the last inspection to show what they would do and by when to improve.

We undertook this focused inspection to check they had followed their action plan and to confirm they now met legal requirements. This report only covers our findings in relation to the Key Questions safe, effective and well-led which contain those requirements.

For those key questions not inspected, we used the ratings awarded at the last inspection to calculate the overall rating. The overall rating for the service has changed from requires improvement to good. This is based on the findings at this inspection.

You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Birchfield Residential Care Home on our website at www.cqc.org.uk

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.