Archived: Belgrave Court Residential Care Home

Below is a summary of what we found. The summary is based on our observations during the inspection, speaking with people who used the service, the staff who supported them and from looking at records.

If you want to see the evidence supporting our summary please read the full report.

Is the service safe?

People told us that they were consulted about their care and were able to make their own decisions about life in the home.

People felt staff respected their privacy and dignity. We found people were being looked after by friendly, supportive staff within a warm and homely environment. Care was personalised and reflected people's choices and decisions. Care records were up to date.

People who used the service, staff and visitors were protected against the risks of unsafe or unsuitable premises. All areas were clean and well maintained and people had a choice of communal spaces to sit in and relax with friends, visitors and relatives.

The home had policies and procedures in relation to Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DOLS) and one application had needed to be submitted in the last six months. The registered manager had a good understanding of when an application should be made and in how to submit one. This meant that people were safeguarded as required.

Is the service effective?

People's health and care needs had been assessed and care plans were in place. There was some evidence of people being involved in assessments of their needs and planning of their care. People said they could discuss their care with the staff or registered manager and on the whole felt well supported and cared for.

Staff had received training to ensure they could meet the needs of the people who used the service. Staff were aware of what care each person required to meet their needs. Staff were able to say which people had input from the district nurse or dietician, they also knew what health problems each person had and what action was needed from them to support the person.

Is the service caring?

We observed that there were good interactions between the staff and people, with friendly and supportive care practices being used to assist people in their daily lives.

Four people told us 'The food is lovely', 'We get offered a choice of meals', 'The majority of the meals are okay' and 'I have nothing to grumble about'. People told us they were asked to tell the service about their wishes, which were always respected where possible. One person told us 'I am only here for a short stay before going home again. I like it here, the staff are lovely and they cannot do enough for you.'

Is the service responsive?

We saw that there was a complaints policy and procedure on display that was accessible to people who used the service. We spoke with four people and they said they could talk to the staff or care manager if they had any problems. They told us they felt happy and safe within the service and that any issues they had were dealt with quickly.

We looked at the complaints records and saw that one complaint had been received in the last year. We looked at the investigation which had been completed in line with the complaints policy. This meant people could be assured that complaints were investigated and action taken as necessary.

Is the service well led?

Staff told us they were clear about their role and responsibilities. Staff had a good understanding of the ethos of the home and quality assurance processes were in place. This helped to ensure people received a good quality of service at all times.

We saw that information about contact with health care professionals had been recorded in care plans but that care plans had not been updated. However, staff told us that they were kept up to date at staff handover meetings and we observed appropriate care taking place. There were positive interactions between people who lived at the home and staff. Relatives told us that they were always made welcome and were kept informed about important events.

We checked the arrangements in place for the storage, administration and disposal of medication and found that there were appropriate arrangements in place. Staff who administered medication had completed appropriate training. There were plans in place to improve the storage arrangements.

We saw that staff had been recruited safely although some recording of recruitment records was not robust. There were sufficient numbers of staff on duty and people told us that there was "Always someone around to help". There were also enough catering, domestic, maintenance and administrative staff on duty.

There were quality monitoring systems in place that gave people who lived at the home and others the opportunity to comment on the care they received. There was a complaints system in place although no complaints had been received by the home during 2013.

From what people told us, what we observed and noted as part of the review, staff cared for the people who used the service appropriately. We saw that care needs were discussed with people and that before people received care their consent was asked for. One person said 'I've settled in, I've no complaints", another person said 'I had to come in as I could not manage at home, I've nothing against the place at all'. A relative said 'My sister took a while getting used to the place but she now has friends here'.

We found that staff were suitably trained and supported to ensure they could offer the appropriate care to people.

People were protected from harm and the risk of harm through staff training and risk assessments. Staff could tell us what they would do if they saw abuse happening or someone reported abuse to them.

People and their relatives were aware of the complaints policy and told us they knew how to make a complaint should they need to.