Background to this inspection
Updated
13 September 2019
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 Care Act 2014.
Inspection team
The inspection team consisted of one inspector.
Service and service type
The Barn and Coach is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.
The service had a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. This means that they and the provider are legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided. The provider of The Barn and Coach is also the registered manager.
Notice of inspection
This inspection was unannounced.
What we did before the inspection
The provider was not asked to complete a provider information return prior to this inspection. This is information we require providers to send us to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We took this into account when we inspected the service and made the judgements in this report.
During the inspection
We spoke with four people who used the service and seven relatives about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with five members of staff including the provider/registered manager, senior care workers, care workers and the cook. We spoke with one professional who regularly visited the service.
We viewed a range of records. This included four people’s care records and multiple medication records. We looked at four staff files in relation to recruitment and staff supervision. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures were reviewed.
After the inspection
We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found. We looked at training data and quality assurance records.
Updated
13 September 2019
About the service
The Barn and Coach is a residential care home providing personal care to 14 people aged 65 and over at the time of the inspection. The service can support up to 15 people in one adapted building.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
People told us they were happy living at the service and felt safe. One person said, “The staff are very good. Anything you want the staff will do for you.” Relatives spoken with were complimentary about the staff and the registered manager. One relative told us, “The registered manager is good at what she does, I have so much faith in her.”
The registered manager and staff spoke with compassion when referring to the people they cared for. The caring ethos of putting people first, was expressed by all staff we spoke with. One staff told us, “We are encouraged to talk and get to know them [people], they come first.”
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.
The service was person-centred and promoted independence. People’s nutrition and hydration needs were catered for and people told us the food was very good. People and relatives commented that the service was small and friendly. One relative told us, “It feels like a ‘home’ with a family atmosphere.” Another said, “It’s not posh but it's the care we are interested in.”
Systems were in place to keep people safe through audit monitoring. Medicines were managed safely, and records showed that people received their medicines as prescribed.
The service worked in collaboration with health and social care professionals. We spoke with one professional who told us that staff were friendly and communicated well with them.
There was a safe recruitment process in place and staff received training and supervision. The registered manager was visible at the service and worked alongside staff monitoring care practices. Staff told us they were listened to and the registered manager was approachable.
Rating at last inspection: Good (report published 3 February 2017)
Why we inspected: This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.
Follow up: We will continue to monitor intelligence we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If any concerning information is received, we may inspect sooner.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk