Beech Court Nursing Home

Updated 19 March 2022

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection was planned to check whether the provider is meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008.

As part of CQC’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic we are looking at how services manage infection control and visiting arrangements. This was a targeted inspection looking at the infection prevention and control measures the provider had in place. We also asked the provider about any staffing pressures the service was experiencing and whether this was having an impact on the service.

This inspection took place on 02 March 2022 and was announced. The service was invited to take part in this thematic review which is seeking to identify examples of good practice in infection prevention and control.

Updated 19 March 2022

This inspection site visit took place on 16 July 2018 and was unannounced. Beech Court Nursing Home is a ‘care home’ with nursing. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement. Care Quality Commission (CQC) regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection. The home is registered to accommodate up to 26 older people, some living with dementia, who require personal or nursing care. At the time of the inspection there were seven people living there.

The provider is registered with the CQC as an individual and therefore it is not a condition of their registration that they have a registered manager. The registered provider has legal responsibility for meeting the requirements of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

At the last comprehensive inspection in November 2017 we asked the provider to take action to make improvements to infection control. This action has been completed. We found peoples’ rooms and communal areas were clean and there were no lasting odours around the building. Staff followed good hygiene practice.

At the last comprehensive inspection in November 2017 we asked the provider to take action as quality audits were not being used effectively to ensure improvements were made where necessary, such as around infection control. This action had been completed. Audit systems were in place and being effectively implemented. We noted improvements in the quality assurance systems to both monitor and improve the governance of the service.

The provider acknowledged that the service having a registered manager who would have day to day oversight of the home would ensure that these improvements could be sustained as and when occupancy increased. The provider showed a commitment to recruit a registered manager to improve leadership and guidance for staff.

People using the service told us they felt safe living at Beech Court and relatives we spoke with agreed. People were kept safe from avoidable harm because the staff team had received training on safeguarding and understood their responsibilities.

The risks associated with people's care and support had been assessed, monitored and reviewed. People received their medicines as prescribed.

Appropriate pre-employment checks had been carried out on new members of staff to make sure they were safe and suitable to work there. There were sufficient staff to meet people’s needs and spend time with them.

New staff were provided with appropriate induction into the service and on-going training was being delivered. This enabled the staff team to gain the skills and knowledge they needed in order to meet people's needs. Staff were also supported through regular meetings with their manager and an annual appraisal.

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

People who used the service and relatives consistently told us staff were kind, caring, patient and upheld people's dignity. Care plans were personalised and centred on people's preferences, views and experiences as well as their care and support needs.

People and relatives knew how to raise any concerns and were confident these would be dealt with effectively.

People who were receiving end of life care were provided with compassionate and skilled care with appropriate involvement from health professionals as needed.

We have made a recommendation about consulting with current best practice guidance about developing a dementia friendly environment.