About the service Bridge House is a residential care home providing personal and support for up to 30 people, some of whom live with dementia. Accommodation is provided over two floors, accessed via a passenger lift. All bedrooms are single with en-suite facilities. At the time of the inspection there were 29 people living at the home.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
Prior to this inspection we had received a number of concerns about the management and care of people living at Bridge House. It was acknowledged a series of changes in ownership of the service had impacted on standards within the home. However, during this inspection people and staff told us and our findings showed the new owner had been proactive in identifying and taking action to make any improvements needed, as detailed throughout this report. No further concerns were raised with us.
People, their visitors and staff spoke positively about the management of the service. We were told managers were approachable and supportive. People also spoke about the kindness of staff and how they were cared for in a way they wanted and needed.
Auditing systems were in place providing oversight of the service. The management team were clear about how they wanted to develop the service further to enhance the experiences of people. Plans were in place to address this.
Staff had been safely recruited to work at Bridge House. There was a programme of induction, training and supervision to support staff personnel development. This was confirmed by staff we spoke to. Whilst there had been some turnover in staff, people, we were told this was now more settled. We found sufficient numbers of staff were available to support people in a timely manner.
We saw and people told us activities were provided. Further opportunities were being planned for to provide further variety to people’s day. People’s enjoyed regular visits from family and friends, who said they were made very welcome.
A programme of improvements were being made to enhance the standard of accommodation as well as create a more ‘dementia friendly’ environment. We have made a recommendation about the implementation of the Accessible Information Standard (AIS).
Aids and adaptations were provided to aid people’s mobility and promote their safety. Relevant maintenance and safety checks were undertaken to ensure the premises and equipment were kept safe. Hygiene standards were maintained to help minimise the risk of cross infection.
People’s nutrition and hydration needs were met. A choice of meals and refreshments were offered throughout the day. Kitchen staff had a good understanding of the people’s dietary needs. The kitchen was clean, organised and all equipment was in good working order.
People received their prescribed medicines in a safe way. People and their visitors told us they had access to a range of health care professionals to help maintain their health and well-being.
Relevant authorisations were in place where people were being deprived of their liberty. 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.
Care records reflected the individual needs, wishes and preferences of people. Staff spoken with had a good understanding of people’s and how they wished to be supported. Staff were described as respectful and provided care in a kind and caring manner.
Staff aware of the procedure to follow with regards to safeguarding people from harm and had confidence the management team would respond quickly to any issues brought to their attention. Systems were in place for recording and responding to complaints.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk
Rating at last inspection
The last rating for this service was good (published January 2017). Since this rating was awarded the registered provider of the service has changed. We have used the previous rating to inform our planning and decisions about the rating at this inspection.
Why we inspected
The inspection was prompted in part due to concerns received by CQC and the local authority about the care and safety of people living at the home and the management of the service. A decision was made for us to inspect and examine those risks.
We found no evidence during this inspection that people were at risk of harm from this concern. Please see the safe, effective, responsive and well-led sections of this full report.
Follow up
We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.