Brierfield House

Updated 9 June 2021

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 Care Act 2014.

As part of this inspection we looked at the infection control and prevention measures in place. This was conducted so we can understand the preparedness of the service in preventing or managing an infection outbreak, and to identify good practice we can share with other services.

Inspection team

The inspection was carried out by an inspector 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.

Service and service type

The service is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

The service did not have a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. The manager had been in post since March 2020 and was in the process of applying to become the registered manager. This had been delayed due to a misunderstanding about the application process. The registered manager and the provider are legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided.

Notice of inspection

This inspection was unannounced.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since their registration. We sought feedback from the local authority and Healthwatch. Healthwatch is an independent consumer champion that gathers and represents the views of the public about health and social care services in England. We used this information to plan our inspection. The provider was not asked to complete a provider information return prior to this inspection. This is information we require providers to send to us to give us key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We took this into account when we inspected the service and made the judgements in this report.

During the inspection

We spoke with five people who lived at the home and three visiting relatives, to gain their feedback about the service. We also spoke with the manager, the deputy manager, the administrator, three care staff and two catering staff.

We reviewed a range of records, including two people’s care records and a selection of medicines records. We looked at two staff recruitment files and staff supervision and appraisal records.

After the inspection

We reviewed a variety of records related to the management of the service, including policies and audits.

We contacted four community health and social care professionals for their feedback about the support provided at the service.

Updated 9 June 2021

About the service

Brierfield House is a residential care home which provides accommodation and personal care for up to 42 older people and people living with dementia. Accommodation is provided in two units, over two floors, with one unit specifically for people living with dementia. A passenger lift is available to provide access to both floors. At the time of the inspection 30 people were living at the home.

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

People felt safe living at the home and told us there were enough staff available to meet their needs. Staff supported people to manage risks to their health and wellbeing and understood how to protect people from the risk of abuse. The provider followed safe staff recruitment practices. People’s medicines were managed safely. Staff followed safe infection control procedures and wore appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE), to protect people from the risk of infection and contracting the COVID-19 virus. The safety of the home environment was checked regularly.

Staff supported people to live well. Staff received the induction and training they needed to meet people’s needs. 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. Staff supported people with their dietary and healthcare needs and referred them for specialist support when they needed it. The environment had been adapted to enable people to remain as independent as possible. Some improvements to the unit for people living with dementia were needed and the registered manager told us these were planned.

People and relatives liked the staff at the home. They told us staff were kind and caring and treated people with respect. Staff encouraged people to be independent and make decisions about their care when they were able to. Staff respected people's right to privacy, dignity and confidentiality. They were aware of people’s diverse needs and what was important to them.

Staff provided people with care that reflected their needs, risks, abilities and preferences. Staff were familiar with people’s needs and encouraged them to make choices when they could. People's care needs were reviewed regularly, and documentation was updated when people's needs changed. Concerns and complaints were managed appropriately. People were happy with the activities provided at the home.

Management and staff understood their responsibilities and provided people with high quality care which met their needs. They worked in partnership with community agencies to ensure people received the support they needed. People’s views were sought about the service and acted upon. People, relatives and staff felt the service was managed well. Management and the provider completed regular checks to ensure people received high quality, safe care.

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

Rating at last inspection and update

The last rating for the service was requires improvement (published 8 November 2019). 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.

At the last inspection we found breaches of regulation relating to the management of people’s medicines and the provider’s oversight of the service. At this inspection we found that under the new provider, improvements had been made and there were no longer any breaches of regulations.

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection based on the service’s date of registration under the new provider.

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 until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.