Bonhomie

Updated 24 August 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 Health and Social Care Act 2008.

Inspection team

One inspector, a specialist advisor with professional experience of supporting people living with mental health needs and an Expert by Experience carried out this inspection. 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

Bonhomie is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing and/or personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement dependent on their registration with us. Bonhomie is a care home without nursing care. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

Registered Manager

This service is required to have a registered manager. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. This means that they and the provider are legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided.

At the time of our inspection there was a registered manager in post.

Notice of inspection

This inspection was unannounced.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since it was registered last year. We sought feedback from the local authority and professionals who work with the service. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return (PIR). This is information providers are required to send us annually with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. We used all this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We met individually with four of the five people who were using the service. We also spoke with four members of staff including the registered manager. We reviewed three people’s care and medicine records and looked at three staff files in relation to recruitment and staff supervision.

After the inspection

We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found. The registered manager forwarded us some documentation relating to the management of the service, including staff training and quality assurance records.

Updated 24 August 2022

About the service

Bonhomie is care home which provides a link between crisis mental health care and supported living for people living with mental ill health and people who misuse drugs and/or alcohol. People may also have a physical disability. The service can provide accommodation and personal care for up to 19 people at any one time. At the time of our inspection, the service was supporting five people.

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

This was the first inspection of Bonhomie and the service was only supporting a small number of people. Whilst people currently living at the service were receiving high quality support, the management team recognised that some of their monitoring and governance systems would need to be developed and strengthened to ensure the same standards are maintained as the service continues to grow.

People were safeguarded and risks to people's health and safety were identified and managed. People told us they felt safe and were cared for by staff who knew them well. People received their medicines as prescribed and improved practices ensured medicines were managed safely. Accidents, incidents and safeguarding concerns were reported and investigated as required and actions taken to prevent reoccurrence.

People’s needs were appropriately assessed and involved in the discussions about their care. Staff were recruited safely and received training and supervision to develop the skills needed to support people effectively.

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. People had access to external healthcare services and were supported to attend appointments and manage their specialist mental health needs.

People were accommodated in a well-equipped environment that promoted independent living. Staff supported people to drink enough and maintain a balanced diet and people had opportunities to plan and prepare their own meals.

People were treated with kindness, dignity and respect. Staff interactions with people were warm and caring. People appeared relaxed in their environment and the home had a calm and friendly atmosphere.

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

Rating at last inspection

This service was registered with us on 23 April 2021 and this is the first inspection.

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection to provide a rating for the service following its registration.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.