Copper Beeches

Updated 21 June 2022

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 Health and Social Care Act 2008.

Inspection team

The inspection was completed by one inspector and an Expert by Experience, who provided telephone support and contacted relatives of people who used the service. An Expert by Experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of care service.

Service and service type

Copper Beeches is a residential care home. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing and/or personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement dependent on their registration with us. Copper Beeches is a residential care home without nursing care. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

Registered Manager

This service is required to have a registered manager. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. 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.

At the time of our inspection there was not a registered manager in post.

Notice of inspection

This inspection was unannounced.

Inspection activity started on 21 April 2022 and ended on 04 May 2022.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since they registered with CQC. We sought feedback from the local authority who work with the service. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return (PIR). This is information providers are required to send us annually with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. We used all this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We made general observations of four people who used the service, spoke with five people and spoke with nine relatives. We spoke with two members of the care staff, the manager and deputy manager. We reviewed a range of records. This included the care records of five people using the service. We looked at a variety of records relating to the overall management of the service, including staff files.

After the inspection

We reviewed records in relation to quality monitoring, staff training and feedback received from people using the service and staff.

Updated 21 June 2022

Copper beeches is a residential home registered to provide accommodation with personal care for up to 20 older people. At the time of our inspection, there were 14 people using the service.

People’s experience of using this service and what we found

The manager was not registered with CQC at the time of our inspection. Positive feedback was received about the quality and leadership of the service. Systems in place showed effective governance processes were available to monitor the service and drive improvement. The manager was building bonds with people and their families to ensure they had a full oversight of people’s choices. Feedback from people, relatives and staff was positive about the management of the service.

Risk management plans were in place to ensure risks were managed safely. Recommendations had been followed and where needed changes had been made. The premises were clean, and staff followed infection control principles, the cleaning schedules were reviewed and updated. Systems and processes were in place to protect people from avoidable harm. There was enough staff available to respond to people’s needs in a timely manner. Electronic systems were in place to manage and monitor medicines, which helped to reduced errors. People received their medicines as and when they needed them. The provider had systems to review and monitor accident and incidents to prevent recurrence. The provider was working in line with the principles of the Mental Capacity Act.

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.

At this inspection we found the provider had acted upon the recommendations and made improvements to the environment and updated their cleaning schedules.

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

Rating at last inspection

At our last inspection we recommended that the provider reviewed government guidance for using personal protective equipment (PPE) in a care home and reviewed their cleaning processes to ensure they kept the cleanliness of the home to a high standard. At this inspection we found the provider had acted on the recommendations and had made improvements. Staff adhered to PPE guidelines and wore appropriate equipment to keep people safe. The cleaning schedules had been updated and were more robust. Recruitment for housekeeping staff had increased.

The last rating for this service was requires improvement (published 4 August 2021).

The service remains rated requires improvement. This service has been rated requires improvement for the last four consecutive inspections.

Why we inspected

This inspection was prompted by a review of the information we held about this service.

We looked at infection prevention and control measures under the Safe key question. We look at this in all care home inspections even if no concerns or risks have been identified. This is to provide assurance that the service can respond to COVID-19 and other infection outbreaks effectively.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.