Archived: Brandon Park Residential and Nursing Home

Updated 19 September 2017

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 was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

This inspection took place on 10 July 2017 and was unannounced. The inspection team consisted of two inspectors 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.

Before the inspection, we requested that the provider complete a Provider Information Return (PIR). This is a form that asks the provider to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. This was received from the provider.

We also reviewed information that we held about the service. Providers are required to notify the Care Quality Commission about events and incidents that occur including unexpected deaths, injuries to people receiving care and safeguarding matters. Before the inspection we reviewed information that we held about the service such as notifications, which are events which happened in the service that the provider is required to tell us about, and information that had been sent to us by other agencies. We also contacted commissioners (who fund the care for some people) of the service and asked them for their views.

We looked at the care records of four people in detail to check they were receiving their care as planned. We also looked at records including four staff recruitment files, training records, meeting minutes, medication records and quality assurance records. We spoke with eleven people who live at the home, six members of care staff, a nurse, the chef, maintenance staff member, the deputy manager and the registered manager as well as one of the directors of the provider company. We also spoke with relatives of seven people currently living at the home and one healthcare professional. After our visit we received feedback from a further three healthcare professionals.

Updated 19 September 2017

Brandon Park Residential and Nursing Home is a residential care home with nursing that provides accommodation and personal care for up to 55 older people, some of whom are living with dementia. There were 44 people living in the service when we inspected on 10 July 2017. This was an unannounced inspection. This inspection was prompted in part by notification of an incident following which a person living at the service died. This incident is subject to a coroner’s investigation and as a result this inspection did not examine the circumstances of the incident. However, the information shared with CQC about the incident indicated potential concerns about the management of risk. This inspection examined those risks.

At the last inspection in January 2016, the service was rated as Good, with Effective being rated as Requires Improvement. This was due to improvements being needed to staff training and nutrition care record keeping. At this inspection we found that the necessary improvements had been made and significant improvements made. We have rated the service Outstanding in responsive and Outstanding in well led making the overall rating for the service Outstanding.

The home was extremely responsive to people’s needs. People received exceptionally personalised care and support which they were in control of. Activities were planned by staff who worked closely with people to establish their individual and unique preferences. People were supported to take part in activities of their choosing.

There was an exceptionally strong ethos within the home of treating people as individuals and with respect. People were at the forefront of their care. Information was given to people about how to raise any concerns they may have and where concerns were raised these were dealt with speedily and in detail. Relatives said they felt welcomed at the service and felt their family member was very well cared for.

There were very effective systems in place to monitor the quality and safety of the care provided. People felt able to raise any concerns and be confident they would be addressed. Where concerns were raised by people, relatives or through regular auditing we saw the staff took them seriously and took appropriate actions to focus on learning and improvement for the benefit of the people using the service.

Excellent leadership was demonstrated at all levels with a pro-active effort to encourage ideas from people and staff to further benefit people living at the home. The staff were very happy working in the home and felt extremely supported in their role. They were clear about their individual roles and responsibilities and felt highly valued by the management team. The home was organised and well run and the culture was open and transparent.

The registered manager and provider strived for excellence and improving the lives of people who lived at the home through involvement with external organisations and the local community.

There was a registered manager in post at the time of our inspection. 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.

There were systems in place to protect people from the risk of harm. Accidents and incidents were investigated as required and known risks were recorded and mitigated when possible. Staff had been recruited safely and relevant checks were completed before they commenced working within the home.

Staff knew about and were following the guidance in people's risk assessments and care plans to keep people safe. People's records were up to date and indicated that care was being provided as detailed in people's assessments.

There continued to be sufficient numbers of staff employed to make sure people received the support they needed, and those staff had been safely recruited. People told us they felt safe living at the home. People received their medicines when they needed them.

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff assisted them in the least restrictive way possible. They demonstrated a good knowledge of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and associated Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards. Care records detailed people's consent to their care and each area of their support contained decision specific best interest’s assessments.

People's health needs were met as the staff and manager promptly engaged with other healthcare agencies and professionals to ensure people's identified health care needs were met and to maintain people's safety and welfare.

People’s care was delivered by kind and caring staff who sought to meet their needs and ensure they were happy. We saw that people had friendly relationships with staff who would stop and speak with them as they moved around the home.