Barleyfields House

Updated 21 April 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 carried out by 2 inspectors.

Service and service type

Barleyfields House 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. Barleyfields House 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.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We sought feedback from Healthwatch, the local authority and professionals who work with the service. Healthwatch is an independent consumer champion that gathers and represents the views of the public about health and social care services in England.

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 used the service and 5 relatives. We also received feedback via our website from a further 2 relatives. We spoke with 6 members of staff which included the registered manager, deputy manager and care staff. We looked at 5 care plans and medication administration records. We looked at staff training records, 4 staff recruitment files and records relating to the health and safety and the management of the home.

Updated 21 April 2023

We expect health and social care providers to guarantee people with a learning disability and autistic people respect, equality, dignity, choices and independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted. ‘Right support, right care, right culture’ is the guidance CQC follows to make assessments and judgements about services supporting people with a learning disability and autistic people and providers must have regard to it.

About the service

Barleyfields House is a respite care service. It is registered to provide accommodation and personal care to a maximum of 5 people, at any one time. In total, 29 people accessed the service for respite care at different times throughout the year. At the time of the inspection, 5 people were receiving respite care at the home.

The accommodation is a single-storey building. There are 5 bedrooms and people have access to adapted bathrooms, communal spaces and a large garden.

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

Right Support:

People were mostly 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. However, records relating to consent and capacity needed improving.

When staff administered people’s medicines, they did not always follow best practice. The issues we found were rectified during our inspection.

The service gave people care and support in a safe, clean, well equipped, well-furnished, and well-maintained environment which met their sensory and physical needs.

Staff supported people to take part in activities and pursue their interests in the local area.

Right Care:

People received kind and thoughtful care. Staff protected and respected people’s privacy and dignity. They understood and responded to their individual needs.

Staff understood how to protect people from poor care and abuse. The service worked well with other agencies to do so. Staff had training on how to recognise and report abuse and they knew how to apply it.

The service had enough appropriately skilled staff to meet people’s needs and keep them safe.

Right Culture:

The provider had processes in place to review compliance with the regulations, but we found some areas required improvement.

We did find lessons were learned when things went wrong, and the provider responded to any points identified during the inspection. People found the registered manager approachable.

Staff turnover was low, which supported people to receive consistent care from staff who knew them well.

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 requires improvement (published 5 March 2020). The service remains rated requires improvement. This service has been rated requires improvement for the last 2 consecutive inspections.

At our last inspection we recommended the provider took action to update their policies and practice in line with the Mental Capacity Act 2005 Code of Practice and current NICE guidance on managing medicines in care homes. At this inspection we found this guidance had been considered, but records needed improvement.

Why we inspected

This inspection was prompted by a review of the information we held about this service.

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.

You can see what action we have asked the provider to take at the end of this full report.

Enforcement

We have identified a breach in relation to the governance of the service at this inspection.

Please see the action we have told the provider to take at the end of this report.

Follow up

We will request an action plan from the provider to understand what they will do to improve the standards of quality and safety. We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.