Braintree Mews Care Home

On this page

• Overview
• Person-centred Care
• Care provision, Integration and continuity
• Providing Information
• Listening to and involving people
• Equity in access
• Equity in experiences and outcomes
• Planning for the future

People were fully involved in how care was planned and delivered. The health and care needs of people were understood. People, those who supported them and staff, could access information, advice and advocacy to support them in managing and understanding people’s care and treatment. As stated in other quality statements some improvements were needed to people’s care records.

This service scored 71 (out of 100) for this area. Find out what we look at when we assess this area and How we calculate these scores.

People and relatives told us they were happy with the service they received. A person told us, “I have had a good experience, and I feel very well looked after. There is a lot to do activity wise and the staff are very caring. I think the entertainment is good.” A relative said, “In the relatively short time my [family member] has been there I’ve been nothing but impressed by the staff and the treatment they have received.”

Staff told us they were given information about people being admitted to the service and what care and support they might need. A staff member told us, “A person likes to get early and only wants a female so we respect this.” A night staff member told us how some people liked a midnight snack and staff will provide snacks for people during the night.

We observed staff delivering care to people in a way they wanted it. A relative told us their family member struggled to sleep and said, “They stay up with the night staff until they are ready to go to bed. I have found staff helpful and caring.”

Whilst most people were positive about their experiences at Braintree Mews, we identified more work was needed to ensure people received consistent joined up care.

The registered manager acknowledged they were working with other professionals to ensure a co-ordinated approach was taken in relation to people’s healthcare needs.

Partners reported initial concerns about the co-ordination of care in relation to additional equipment or referrals for people. A weekly meeting is now taking place with healthcare professionals to improve communication and care provision.

We identified areas of improvement were needed in relation to care records so monitoring care information was accurate.

People told us they received information about the service prior to admission and their communication needs were considered. A relative told us, “I had long conversations with the manager when my family member moved in and I get regular updates from the senior.”

The registered manager told us they were able to provide information in various formats on request. Staff knew how to support people with glasses, hearing aids and to speak clearly to people.

Care plans recorded people’s communication needs and how staff should support them. Information collated by the provider was recorded on an electronic system which was secure.

Most people and relatives told us they were able to discuss any concerns and complaints were listened to. One person told us, “I can talk to all the staff.” A relative told us, “They are all very approachable.” Another relative said, “The staff have always been very welcoming, approachable and responsive to any requests or comments I have made. On the odd occasions I have had a query staff have come back with an answer, without delay, if they are not able to do so immediately.” However, we did receive one piece of negative feedback which the registered manager said they would take action on.

Staff were aware of how to report people’s concerns and complaints.

The service had a complaints procedure in place to promptly respond to any issues. We saw where complaints had been made these had been responded to and resolved. We fed back to the registered manager a concern where a relative was still waiting for a full response.

Most people and relatives told us they had access to all the services they needed. A relative told us, “They are very proactive in getting support.” Another relative said, “The staff are well aware of [family members] healthcare needs and have promptly called in help, for example, from the district nurses when required.” However, we did receive feedback from relatives where they were told they were responsible for speaking with the GP and another relative was not sure they were getting all the updates available.

The registered manager told us a daily meeting was held with all senior staff to ensure appropriate referrals were made in a timely way when needed.

As discussed in previous quality statements the service was now meeting with the community matron weekly to discuss people’s health. This meant any concerns were communicated quickly to support positive outcomes for people using the service.

The provider had processes in place to ensure people had access to the right services when they needed them.

Overall people and relatives told us they received the right support from staff at Braintree Mews and we received numerous reports of people’s outcomes being improved. A relative told us, “I am very happy with [family members] care and more importantly, my [family member] is very happy there.”

Staff told us that while they thought people were receiving appropriate support, changes in staffing levels meant there were times people had to wait for this support. For example, staff told us when staffing levels dropped people had to wait longer for care staff to be available to serve their meals.

The service had responded to concerns from partner agencies and CQC. They told us they were working more closely with senior staff and had put in additional training to ensure staff were able to monitor people’s health conditions and outcomes closely. Additional training for staff had been held in recognising and escalating deterioration in people.

People and relatives were consulted about any future plans in place, so these views were captured within their care records. A relative we spoke with told us a staff member had gone above and beyond supporting their family member who was in hospital on end-of-life care.

Staff had undertaken training in end of life.

Care plans included a section called future decisions where people’s views, wishes or preferences were recorded. This included information about Do Not Attempt Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation (DNACPR) orders. The registered manager told us they would access support from the GP, district nurses or community hospice services, if needed.