Archived: Bellefield Residential Home

We found the following examples of good practice.

¿ People at the service offered lots of compliments about the staff team, "They are all lovely" and "They really look after us especially when we get fed up in not being able to go out like usual."

¿ The service reviewed cleaning schedules and routines to reduce the risks of cross infection. The environment was very clean and hygienic.

¿ People and staff were taking part in regular COVID-19 testing. The manager carried out tests for staff on daily shifts.

¿ We observed staff to be wearing the correct personal protective equipment (PPE) throughout the inspection.

¿ People had risk assessments in place that reflected their specific needs in relation to COVID-19.

Further information is in the detailed findings below.

People’s experience of using this service

We saw there were systems in place to monitor medication so that people received their medicines safely. We found some minor recording anomalies in the medication records and improvements were needed to ensure safer monitoring for one person.

Arrangements were in place for checking the environment to ensure it was safe. We found the environment safe and well- maintained. We discussed the laundry as this was one area that needed some development work to maintain an effective work environment.

There was a positive atmosphere in the home which we found to be homeily and well- run. People living in the home interacted freely and staff were seen to be caring and supportive.

The assessment and planning of people’s care was very individualised. Care records were completed and reviewed with the person’s input.

People gave us positive feedback about living at the home. They told us they enjoyed living at the home and their quality of life was good and they were well cared for. People were listened to and had the support they needed to express their needs and wishes so they could make decisions and choices. They were treated with respect and kindness.

All the people we spoke with told us they felt safe and well- supported. One person said, “There’s always somebody around and they check on you at night.” Another person commented, “All the staff are kind and helpful.”

The home was staffed appropriately and consistently. Staff could explain each person’s care needs and how they communicated these needs. People told us that staff had the skills and approach needed to ensure they were receiving the right care.

Care was organised, so any risks were assessed, and plans put in place to maximise people’s independence whilst help ensure people’s safety.

The staff we spoke with described how they would recognise abuse and the action they would take to ensure actual or potential harm was reported.

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.

We saw people’s dietary needs were managed with reference to individual needs and choice. Meal times provided a good social occasion.

The manager could evidence a series of quality assurance processes and audits carried out internally and externally by staff and from visiting senior managers for the provider. Overall, these were effective in managing the home and were based on getting feedback from the people living there.

Rating at last inspection

The last rating for this service was good (published 30 May 2018).

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.

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

Situated within a quiet residential area of West Derby in Liverpool, Bellefield Residential Home is a purpose built 30 bedded care home offering dementia, residential, respite and end of life care.

At the last inspection in October 2015, the service was rated ‘Good’. We found during this inspection that the service remained ‘Good.’

The registered manager was still officially in post at time of our inspection. However, they were in process of moving to another service, another manager had been appointed, and was available on the day of our inspection. The manager had systems and processes in place to ensure that staff who worked at the service were recruited safely. Staff were able to describe the course of action they would take if they felt anyone was at risk of harm or abuse which included ‘whistleblowing’ to external organisations. Rotas showed there were an adequate number of staff employed by the service to ensure people’s needs were met. Risks were well assessed and information was updated as and when required. People were supported to manage their medication by senior staff who were trained to do so.

All newly appointed staff were enrolled on the Care Certificate. Staff we spoke with confirmed they had been supervised regularly and had completed an annual appraisal. The training matrix showed that all staff had completed all mandatory training in accordance with the providers training policy, including areas of specialism, such as dementia and end of life care.

The service was working in accordance with the MCA and associated principles. We saw that where people could consent to decisions regarding there care and support this had been well documented, and were people lacked capacity, the appropriate best interest processes had been followed.

People and visitors we spoke with were complimentary about the staff and the home in general. People told us they liked the people who supported them. Staff were able to give us examples of how they preserved dignity and privacy when providing personal care.

Care plans contained information about people’s likes, dislikes, preferences and personalities. Staff we spoke with demonstrated that they knew the people they supported well, and they enjoyed working at the home.

Complaints were well managed and documented in accordance with the provider’s complaints policy. The complaints policy contained contact details for the local authorities and commissioning groups.

Quality assurance systems were effective and measured service provision. Regular audits were taking place for different aspects of service delivery. Regular action plans were drawn up when areas of improvement were identified. Staff meetings took place, however resident meetings were not as regular.

Further information is in the detailed findings below

All medication was safely stored in a locked cabinet in a locked store room. We observed a senior member of staff administering medication in a safe and respectful manner which ensured the person using services received their prescribed medication. All staff members had provided an enhanced Criminal Records Bureau check and two references which ensured the safety of all people using services. Staff members had the relevant skills and qualifications to undertake their work with vulnerable adults. Although a comprehensive and appropriate complaints procedure was observed at the care home, it was not displayed in any prominent places which may have been of benefit to those people using services, including staff members. However, we were assured by the provider that the required approach would be reviewed and implemented immediately.