• Care Home
  • Care home

Silver Birch Care Home

Overall: Good read more about inspection ratings

3 Europa Way, Ipswich, IP1 5DL (01473) 937990

Provided and run by:
Alysia Caring (Silver Birch) Ltd

Latest inspection summary

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Background to this inspection

Updated 7 January 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 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 others.

Inspection team

This inspection was carried out by two inspectors 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. The Expert by Experience made telephone calls on the 9 December 2021, off site, to obtain feedback from people who used the service and their relatives.

Service and service type

Sliver Birch Care Home 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 premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

The service had a manager in post who at the time of the inspection had applied to be registered with CQC. By publication of this report the manager had become registered with CQC. Registered managers 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 our systems and information we held about the service. The provider was not asked to complete a provider information return prior to this inspection. This is information we require providers to send us to give some 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 nine people who used the service and three relatives about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with the manager, provider’s nominated individual, two nurses, two care staff, a housekeeper, an administrator and the head of maintenance. We reviewed a range of records which included risk assessments and care records for five people, medication records for six people and three staff files. We also viewed complaints, accident and incident records and management monitoring and oversight records.

After the inspection

We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found. We looked at training data and quality assurance records. We received electronic feedback via email from three members of staff and the local commissioning team who work closely with the service.

Overall inspection

Good

Updated 7 January 2022

About the service

Silver Birch Care Home is a purpose -built care home, providing personal and nursing care to up to 75 older people, some living with dementia. The service is arranged over three floors. At the time of the inspection there were 20 people using the service.

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

Systems to monitor the quality and safety of the service were not robust and had not independently identified inconsistencies we found with confidentiality, fire safety evacuation records and medicine auditing. We were assured by the swift action taken by the provider to mitigate further risk. However, these improvements need to be fully embedded to support continual development of the home.

Overall, risks to individuals were appropriately assessed and managed and safe management of medicines was in place.

Staff had received safeguarding training and knew how to protect people from potential harm. Safeguarding policies and processes were in place.

We were assured by the Infection prevention and control systems in the home. These were in line with recommended best practice and current legislation to minimise the risk of spread of infection within the home.

Recruitment was managed safely and there were enough staff with the relevant training and qualifications on duty to meet people's needs safely.

People who used the service, relatives and staff provided good feedback about their experience. People said they felt safe and the staff were caring and kind. The provider worked in partnership with people, relatives and other professionals to achieve good outcomes for people.

People's care plans were detailed and person-centred, they promoted choice and guided staff on how to support people safely and encourage their independence. They included information on people's family, history, skills, hobbies and interests.

Staff understood the importance of gaining consent from people. People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and care staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

Rating at last inspection

The service was registered with us on 1 October 2020 and this is their first comprehensive ratings inspection.

Why we inspected

This was a planned comprehensive inspection.

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.

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