The Inspection took place on the 6th March 2017.

Brook Care Home provides accommodation and personal care for up to 20 people some of whom may be living with dementia. At the time of our inspection 14 people were living at the service.

At our last inspection the service was rated as Good. At this inspection we found the service remained Good.

The service was safe. Care and treatment was planned and delivered in a way that was intended to ensure people's safety and welfare. People were cared for safely by staff who had been recruited and employed after appropriate checks had been completed. People’s needs were met by sufficient numbers of staff. Medication was dispensed by staff who had received training to do so.

The service was effective. People were cared for and supported by staff who had received training to support people to meet their needs. The registered manager had a good understanding of their responsibilities in relation to the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards. People were supported to eat and drink enough as to ensure they maintained a balanced diet and referrals to other health professionals were made when required.

The service was caring. Staff cared for people in a empathetic and kind manner. Staff had a good understanding of people’s preferences of care. Staff always worked hard to promote people’s independence through encouraging and supporting people to make informed decisions.

The service was responsive. People and their relatives were involved in the planning and review of their care. Care plans were reviewed on a regular basis and also when there was a change in care needs. People were supported to follow their interests and participate in social activities. The registered manager responded to complaints received in a timely manner.

The service was well-led. Staff, people and their relatives spoke very highly of the manager. The service had systems in place to monitor and provide good care and these were reviewed on a regular basis.

We spoke with five people who used the service and four members of staff. We set out to answer our five questions; Is the service caring? Is the service responsive? Is the service safe? Is the service effective? Is the service well led? Below is a summary of what we found. The summary is based on our observations during the inspection, discussions with people using the service, the staff supporting them and looking at records.

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

Is the service safe?

People were protected by effective staff recruitment systems. Records showed that staff had received Mental Capacity Act (MCA) 2005 and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) training. This meant that staff were provided with the information that they needed to ensure they knew what action to take if they became aware of any concerns about people's safety.

Is the service effective?

The five people we spoke with were satisfied with the care and support they received. No one raised any concerns with us. This was consistent with the positive feedback received from people as reported in the provider's own quality assurance survey. All of the staff we spoke with were knowledgeable about individual people's care needs, and this knowledge was consistent with the care plans in place.

Is the service caring?

People were supported by kind and attentive staff. We saw that care workers showed patience and gave encouragement when supporting people. We spoke with three people who used the service. People commented, “The staff help me, they don’t do everything for me and help me to do things for myself”. One person said to us, "I am very happy here. Everyone is very kind". We observed the care and attention people received from staff. All interactions we saw were appropriate, respectful and friendly and there was a relaxed atmosphere throughout the home.

Is the service responsive?

We saw that the five care plans and risk assessments were informative, up to date and regularly reviewed. The registered manager responded in an open, thorough and timely manner to complaints. This meant that people could be assured that complaints were investigated and action was taken as necessary. Staff told us the registered manager was approachable and they would have no difficulty speaking to them if they had any concerns about the home.

Is the service well led?

Staff said that they felt well supported by the manager, the team worked well together, and they were able do their jobs safely. The provider had a range of quality monitoring systems in place to ensure that care was being delivered appropriately by staff.

When we visited Brook Care Home on 29 April 2013 we looked at how consent was taken from service users. We found that where able, people were asked to consent in writing about their care requirements and that relatives were involved in this process.

When we looked at the care provided we found that it met the needs of the people using the service. Relatives we spoke with were very happy with the care provided and one person said, "The care here is above excellent and I cannot speak highly enough about the staff."

We also looked at the systems in place to manage infection control. We found that the kitchen had recently been inspected by Rochford Council and had been awarded the highest rating possible for hygiene. People using the service and staff were also protected from health care infections through the use of regular health checks and inoculations from the local doctors surgery.

We looked at a number of staff files and found that the recruiting process was robust. They included an application form, references, criminal record checks and a job description to ensure that qualified staff were employed. This kept people safe end meant that people received care from qualified and experienced staff.

The provider had in place an effective system for monitoring the quality of service they provided. This included a programme of audits, service user feedback and a complaints system, all used to identify areas for improvement.

People told us that they had regular meetings where they discussed what they wanted to do. They said that they regularly go out locally in the home’s mini bus. People said that they are asked what they would like to do each day and they told us about trips out to some local shops. One person said “I go out most days and am on my way out now to go the library to get some books to read.” Another person said “I have just been to the local shops to buy some wool.”

People’s needs were assessed and care and treatment was planned and delivered in a way that ensured people’s safety and welfare. People told us that they had received a full assessment of their needs before they moved in. One person said “I am regularly asked about my care and if there is anything else that I need.” Another person told us “I visited the home before I moved in to see if I liked it.”

People told us that the staff were nice friendly. One person said “I am very happy with the care I get here, the staff always check to see if things are OK for me.” People told us that they enjoyed participating in activities of their choosing. One person said “I like going to the library even though it takes me 45 minutes to walk there I enjoy the walk.”

People said that they felt safe and secure living in Brook Care Home. One person told us “I am very happy here, the staff are so considerate and they always have time for me.” “I am treated with respect and the staff help me to do the things that I want to do.” People appeared very relaxed and happy in the company of staff.

People told us that they liked their rooms. One person said “I am very happy living here, I have my own photographs and pictures and it is always kept clean and tidy.” Another person said “It is very comfortable here, it is always clean.”

People told us that the staff treated them well. They said that they received ‘excellent care’. One person said “I am treated as an individual and the staff are considerate and treat me with respect.” Another person said “the staff always has time for me and they are kind and considerate.” Another person said “the staff seem well trained as they all seem to know what they are doing.”

People told us that they were happy with the quality of care provided at Brook Care Home. One person said “It is very nice here, the food is excellent, the staff are lovely and I am very happy with the help that I get.” Another person said “It is smashing here, I like the food and the staff are kind and caring and they treat me well.”

The Inspection took place on the 6th March 2017.

Brook Care Home provides accommodation and personal care for up to 20 people some of whom may be living with dementia. At the time of our inspection 14 people were living at the service.

At our last inspection the service was rated as Good. At this inspection we found the service remained Good.

The service was safe. Care and treatment was planned and delivered in a way that was intended to ensure people's safety and welfare. People were cared for safely by staff who had been recruited and employed after appropriate checks had been completed. People’s needs were met by sufficient numbers of staff. Medication was dispensed by staff who had received training to do so.

The service was effective. People were cared for and supported by staff who had received training to support people to meet their needs. The registered manager had a good understanding of their responsibilities in relation to the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards. People were supported to eat and drink enough as to ensure they maintained a balanced diet and referrals to other health professionals were made when required.

The service was caring. Staff cared for people in a empathetic and kind manner. Staff had a good understanding of people’s preferences of care. Staff always worked hard to promote people’s independence through encouraging and supporting people to make informed decisions.

The service was responsive. People and their relatives were involved in the planning and review of their care. Care plans were reviewed on a regular basis and also when there was a change in care needs. People were supported to follow their interests and participate in social activities. The registered manager responded to complaints received in a timely manner.

The service was well-led. Staff, people and their relatives spoke very highly of the manager. The service had systems in place to monitor and provide good care and these were reviewed on a regular basis.