Branthwaite Care Home

Updated 1 December 2020

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection was planned to check whether the provider is meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008.

As part of CQC’s response to care homes with outbreaks of coronavirus, we are conducting reviews to ensure that the Infection Prevention and Control practice was safe and the service was compliant with IPC measures. This was a targeted inspection looking at the IPC practices the provider has in place.

This inspection took place on 20 November 2020 and was unannounced.

Updated 1 December 2020

About the service: Branthwaite Care Home (‘Branthwaite’) provides personal care and accommodation to up to 40 older people living with dementia, in one purpose built two storey building. There were 39 people living at the service at the time of our inspection.

People’s experience of using this service and what we found: The registered manager and all staff we spoke with demonstrated extremely caring and patient approaches to people who required skilled, person-centred care. Staff excelled in this area and management systems and processes supported them. People and their relatives enjoyed the calm, welcoming environment the registered manager and staff had maintained. Underpinning this calmness was exceptional understanding and application of best practice across a range of areas, including: dementia awareness and care, hydration and nutrition, infection control, skin integrity awareness and oral care.

Staff worked extremely proactively in consultation with external healthcare professionals. They developed their own guidance tools, training and contributed to the development and roll out of best practice which had a positive impact on people who used the service, and adult social care providers in the area. The service and individual staff had regularly won awards for their work in raising public and professional awareness of key social care issues.

Feedback from people, their relatives and a range of external professionals was exceptional regarding the compassionate, affectionate and sensitive approach of staff.

People had formed extremely strong bonds with staff members they knew well. The majority of staff had been at the service for several years and this continuity was commented on by all as another key strength; people felt at home and consistently likened staff to family.

There was a creative and proactive approach to healthy eating. This was a balance of extremely effective common-sense approaches and broader themed days and events, with a high degree of involvement by people who used the service.

End of life care was outstanding. The deputy manager demonstrated an excellent understanding of relevant best practice and the service was seen as a leader by external professionals. They had developed guidance to help support people and families and they ensured all aspects of care planning were person-centred, including how to memorialise people in the way they wanted.

Activities were extremely varied and well resourced. Staff had an exceptional understanding of each person’s preferences and background. They used a combination of group activities and one to one time to ensure everyone had access to meaningful activities and the opportunity to try new things. Feedback from relatives and external professionals was outstanding.

The service was exceptionally well-led. The registered manager was well respected in the organisation and further afield, for instance at the provider forum meetings, where they were considered a leader in best practice. They had continued to drive a range of improvements and initiatives which had positive impacts on people’s health and wellbeing. They continued to innovate and try to find ways to improve people’s experience of care.

The staff team was extremely well trained and dedicated. They shared a common understanding of the caring values of the organisation, which were consistently demonstrated at all levels. They were empowered to treat people as they would members of their own family and truly valued and colleagues and people.

Feedback regarding the registered manager from relatives and external professionals was consistently outstanding, with them described as a leader and innovator. Staff agreed with these opinions and described the supportive nature of the service, within which they felt encouraged to excel.

Extremely strong community links were in place, ensuring people who used the service felt an active, contributing part of the community. Where people were unable to access community regularly, staff found innovative ways of bringing the community into the home.

People were included in the running of the service. Their feedback was sought at resident/relative meetings, individual review meetings or surveys. People and their relatives knew how to raise and issues or concerns and welcomed the additional ‘cake and cocktail’/’cheese and wine’ evenings the registered manager organised.

Records were accurate, up to date and person-centred. Clear systems were in place for the review and audit of all aspects of the service.

Medicines were managed safely, in line with best practice, by well trained and confident staff. Covert medicines and medicines to be given ‘when required’ were comprehensively supported by clear paperwork. The premises were well maintained and appropriate health and safety checks were in place. Emergency procedures and contingency plans were in place.

People’s capacity was assumed and staff acted in line with the Mental Capacity Act 2005. 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. Best interest decision-making followed best practice guidance.

Turnover of staff remained low and staff morale was extremely high; staff worked enthusiastically together.

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

Rating at last inspection: Good.

Why we inspected: We inspected the service in line with our scheduled programme of inspections.

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.