We carried out a review of the data available to us about Belle Vue Care Home on 6 July 2023. We have not found evidence that we need to carry out an inspection or reassess our rating at this stage.
This could change at any time if we receive new information. We will continue to monitor data about this service.
If you have concerns about Belle Vue Care Home, you can give feedback on this service.
We found the following examples of good practice.
Staff ensured visitors and people were safe by completing thorough checks to reduce COVID-19 risks. This included screening questions and checks on temperatures, lateral flow test results and for professional visitors, checks on their vaccination status. People and relatives were kept informed of visiting guidance and were happy with the current arrangements.
Staff told us they felt supported by the registered manager and were given training and support in relation to managing infection prevention and control (IPC) and how to safely use Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).
Staff had supported people to access videos and easy read accessible information to explain the risks of COVID-19 and the benefits of testing and vaccines. This helped people to make informed decisions about their care.
Staff were knowledgeable about how to reduce the risks of COVID-19 and measures to take in the event of an outbreak. The registered manager was proactive in seeking additional support and guidance. They had also set up various well-being initiatives for staff and as a result had been nominated for a COVID-19 Heroes award under a government scheme.
Belle Vue is a residential care home providing personal care to eight people with a learning disability at the time of the inspection. Belle Vue accommodates eight people in one adapted building.. Some people also had a physical disability and the service had been adapted to accommodate their needs such as ramps and wet rooms. Each person had their own bedroom and shared several bathrooms and other communal spaces including outdoor space.
The service has been developed and designed in line with the principles and values that underpin Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. This ensures that people who use the service can live as full a life as possible and achieve the best possible outcomes. The principles reflect the need for people with learning disabilities and/or autism to live meaningful lives that include control, choice, and independence. People using the service receive planned and co-ordinated person-centred support that is appropriate and inclusive for them.
The service was a large home, bigger than most domestic style properties. This is larger than current best practice guidance. However, the size of the service having a negative impact on people was mitigated by the building design fitting into the residential area and the other large domestic homes of a similar size. There were deliberately no identifying signs, intercom, cameras, to indicate it was a care home.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
People were happy living at Belle Vue and with the staff who provided their care. Relatives also gave positive feedback about how staff treated people. People liked the staff that cared for them. People told us staff “help me", and "give me time". Staff were kind and caring, they involved people in their care and respected people's privacy.
People were safe because staff knew what they were doing, staff received training and the building people lived in was secure. There were enough staff, and the registered manager interacted with people regularly as a group and as individuals. The registered manager completed all pre-employment checks before new staff started work. People told us they always received their medicines and that staff administered them safely. Staff supported some people to be able to safely administer their own medicines. Staff completed medicine records accurately and with enough detail.
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 meals and drinks and encouraged them to do this for themselves using different levels of support to suit individual needs. Staff acted to reduce the risks of spreading infection.
Staff followed advice from health care professionals and made sure they asked people's consent before caring for them. Staff worked well together, they understood the aim of the service to provide quality support, promoting independence and valuing people. The registered manager used feedback and audit systems to check how well the service was running. Where they found concerns, they followed this up and acted to rectify the issue.
The care service has been developed and designed in line with the values that underpin the Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. These values which include choice, promotion of independence and inclusion, were being applied by the service People with learning disabilities and autism using the service can live as ordinary a life as any citizen.
The service applied the principles and values of Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. These ensure that people who use the service can live as full a life as possible and achieve the best possible outcomes that include control, choice and independence.
The outcomes for people using the service reflected the principles and values of Registering the Right Support and people's support focused on them having as many opportunities as possible for them to gain new skills and become more independent.
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 30 November 2016).
Why we inspected
This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.
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.
The service provides accommodation and personal care for up to eight people living with learning disabilities and autism. At the time of our inspection, there were eight people using the service.
The home has a Registered Manager in post. A Registered Manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Like registered providers, they are ‘registered persons’. Registered persons have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health & Social Care Act and associated regulations about how the service is run.
People were safe and staff understood how to report concerns to the relevant agencies. Risk assessments had been completed to identify any risks to people and control measures implemented to help keep people safe. The service employed enough staff to meet people’s needs and recruitment procedures were followed correctly. Medicines were managed safely and people’s healthcare needs were identified and met.
People enjoyed a varied menu, were encouraged to cook independently where possible, and had enough to eat and drink. People and their families were actively involved in care and support planning, and were supported to achieve positive, person-centred outcomes. People’s dignity and privacy was respected by kind and caring staff.
Staff were knowledgeable and positive about the people they supported and demonstrated a caring attitude. Interactions between staff and people using the service were caring, and there was a key worker system in place to help meet people’s individual needs. Staff received a range of training which enabled them to carry out their roles effectively. They were supported through an on-going program of supervision and appraisal.
People using the service and their relatives spoke highly of the registered manager and the culture of the service. There were robust systems in place to monitor the quality of people’s care, with regular audits by senior management. People and staff were given opportunities to contribute towards the development of the service through regular meetings.
This unannounced inspection was carried out on 9 April 2015.
Bellevue Care Home is registered with the Care Quality Commission to provide accommodation, care and support for up to eight adults with learning disabilities. The home offers accommodation over two floors.
At the time of our inspection, there was a registered manager in place. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Like registered providers, they are ‘registered persons’. Registered persons have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act and associated Regulations about how the service is run.
People were assisted by staff in a way that supported their safety and they were treated with respect. People had support plans in place which took account of their needs and individual choices.
People’s medicines were administered by staff who had received training to ensure that they were administered safely and in a timely manner.
Staff cared for people in a warm and caring manner to meet their individual needs.
Staff were supported to maintain and develop their skills and knowledge by way of regular supervision, appraisals and training.
There were enough skilled, qualified staff to provide for people’s needs. The necessary recruitment and selection processes were in place and the provider had taken steps to ensure that staff were suitable to work with people who lived at the home.
People were supported to have a healthy and nutritious diet and to access other healthcare services when required.
People were able to raise any suggestions or concerns they might have with the manager and were listened to.
Arrangements were in place to ensure the quality of the service provided to people was regularly monitored.
People were involved in meaningful activities both in the home and outside of the home.
We observed that people's consent was sought before care and support was delivered, and people were encouraged and supported to make their own decisions. Where people lacked the capacity to make decisions for themselves, appropriate processes had been followed to ensure best interest decisions were made on their behalf.
There were robust recruitment systems in place to ensure that the staff employed were suitable to work in this environment. We observed people were effectively supported by staff to participate in activities of their choice, such as using sensory equipment, and shopping in the local community.
There was a relaxed atmosphere in this home, which provided a clean and well maintained environment for people. The use of assistive technology had been introduced to promote safety and inclusion in the home.
There was information displayed relating to the complaints procedure, so that people who used the service and visitors to the home knew how to raise any concerns with the provider.
People looked clean and well cared for, and where people needed support or assistance with personal care this was done in the privacy of their room to protect their dignity.
We observed the staff interacting with them in a caring and respectful way offering them choices and supporting them to achieve personal goals. One person told us. 'I love cooking and helping in the kitchen'.
Most of the people that we spoke with attended day centres or college courses of their choice, and some people were in part time paid or voluntary employment in the local community. They also led busy social lives in the evenings and at weekends.
Meetings were held each month for people in this home to attend, and they were encouraged to share their views and ideas about all aspects of life at Belle Vue and how it could be improved. This forum was also used for information sharing and planning group activities such as holidays
People had access to a wealth of information relating to the home which was displayed on notice boards in the communal areas of the home. This included information about people's rights and how to make a complaint, how to access advocacy support services and safeguarding contact information.
People looked clean and well cared for, and where people needed support or assistance with personal care this was done in the privacy of their room to protect their dignity.
We observed the staff interacting with them in a caring and respectful way offering them choices and supporting them to achieve personal goals.
Many of the people that we spoke with attended day centres or college courses of their choice, and one person did voluntary work, part time in the local community. They also led busy social lives in the evenings and at weekends.
People had access to a wealth of information relating to the home which was displayed on notice boards in the communal areas of the home. This included information about people's rights and how to make a complaint, how to access Advocacy Services and safeguarding contact information.