Archived: The Brandles

The Brandles is a small care home located in Bury, Greater Manchester. The service provides accommodation and support for up to seven people with mental health needs. At the time of our inspection there were seven people living in the home.

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

The provider continued to meet the regulations in relation to safeguarding and complaints, recruitment and training, medication, health care & nutrition, infection control, health and safety and maintenance checks.

People said they were encouraged to be as independent as possible. People who were able were seen to come and go freely following routines and taking part in activities of their own choosing in the local and wider communities.

Care records were personalised and reflected people’s individual needs, wishes and preference. Risks to people’s health and well-being were assessed and planned for to help keep them safe.

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. Where necessary, staff continued to support people in making decisions with support from social workers, health professionals, relatives and advocates. Legal authorisation had been sought where people were being deprived of the liberty.

Relevant recruitment checks were completed. Sufficient numbers of skilled and experienced staff were available to meet people's needs. Staff said they received lots of training and were supported in their role. People’s current and changing needs were effectively communicated and responded to.

People’s prescribed medicines were managed safely. Staff worked closely with healthcare agencies so people received the care and treatment they needed. People were encouraged to follow a balanced diet and took part in the planning, purchasing and preparation of their meals.

People were provided with comfortable, homely accommodation. Relevant maintenance checks were carried out to maintain the safety of the building. Hygiene standards were maintained.

The registered manager continued to monitor and review the quality of service provided and took action to make improvements where shortfalls they had found. Safe systems were in place for responding and reporting safeguarding concerns and complaints. People said they felt safe and their views were listened and responded to.

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 17 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.

The Brandles is located in Bury, Greater Manchester. The service provides accommodation without nursing for up to seven people with mental health needs. At the time of our visit, there were seven people who lived in the home.

At the last Care Quality commission (CQC) inspection on 22 May 2015, the service was rated Good in all domains, apart from effective which was rated requires improvement.

At this inspection we found the service remained Good.

The service had a registered manager. 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.

The ethos of the home was to provide person centred care and support to each person who used the service by recognising and celebrating their individuality.

The provider continued to have systems in place to safeguard people from harm and abuse. Staff knew how to report any concerns related to abuse. The staff had risk assessments in place to identify risks when meeting people's needs. The risk assessments showed ways that these risks could be reduced.

There continued to be sufficient numbers of qualified, skilled and experienced staff to meet people's needs.

People continued to take part in a variety of social activities. People were encouraged to take part in activities and leisure pursuits of their choice, and to go out as they wished.

Medicines were stored and administered safely. Clear and accurate medicines records were maintained.

Staff knew each person well and had a good knowledge of the needs of people. Training records showed that staff had completed training in a range of areas that reflected their job role and enabled them to deliver care and support as appropriate.

Staff received Mental Capacity Act (2005) (MCA) and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) training to make sure they knew how to protect people's rights. The registered manager made decisions by liaising with social workers, health professionals, relatives and advocates. The registered manager continued to make Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DOLs) applications to local authorities as appropriate.

People said the food was good. People were offered variety and choice. People were provided with a well-balanced diet that met their needs and preferences. People had choices of hot foods each day. People's independent skills were promoted in food preparation.

People and their relatives told us that they were involved in their care planning, and that staff supported people with health care appointments and visits from health care professionals. Care plans were amended immediately to show any changes, and care plans were reviewed routinely.

People spoke positively about the way the home was run. The provider had a clear set of values, which we observed that both the registered manager and staff followed. The registered manager and staff understood their respective roles and responsibilities.

People knew how to make a complaint if they were unhappy. We found the provider had not received any complaints in the last 12 months.

The provider continued to have systems in place to monitor and review the quality of service they provided. Prompt action was taken to improve the home and put right any shortfalls they had found. Information from the analysis of accidents and incidents was used to identify changes and implement improvements to minimise the risk of them happening again.

We found that people who use the service received care in a way that met their needs and preferences. People's care records contained enough information to show how they were to be supported and cared for. People's health, safety and welfare was protected because the provider worked in co-operation with other health professionals.

The people we spoke with told us the home was clean and tidy. One person told us they helped the staff to clean their room and the kitchen. We found the environment in the home to be clean, safe and well maintained.

The people we spoke with told us they were happy with the staff. They told us the staff were available when they needed them. We found that people were cared for by a sufficient number of staff that were properly qualified, skilled and experienced to meet people's needs.

We found that people's care records and staff records were accurate and up to date. Records were kept securely and could be located promptly when needed.

The people we spoke with told us they were happy with the care they received. They told us they were encouraged to live independently and the environment in the home was calm and homely. They also told us the staff discussed any changes to their care with them on a regular basis.

The people we spoke with told us they received appropriate help and assistance with their medication. They told us that the staff were friendly and that they felt safe at the home. They also told us that they had no concerns about the care they received and would speak to the registered manager if they had any concerns.