The inspection of Brookholme Care Home took place on 12 June 2018 and it was unannounced. Brookholme Care Home is a is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as single package under one contractual agreement. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection. The home provides care across two floors and has a range of communal rooms that people can use. There are quieter spaces for people to meet families and friends privately and an accessible garden. It is a care home for 40 older people and at the time of our inspection 39 people were living there.

This was Brookholme Care Home’s first inspection under a new registration.

There was 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 and Social Care Act 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

Staff received training and support to enable them to fulfil their role effectively and were encouraged to develop their skills. They received regular supervision and attended team meetings where they discussed improvements to the home.

People were kept safe by staff who understood their responsibilities to detect and report abuse. They had developed caring, respectful relationships with people and ensured that their dignity and privacy were upheld. There were enough staff to meet people’s needs promptly. People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

People were supported to maintain good health and had regular access to healthcare professionals. Mealtimes were not rushed and people were given a choice of meal. We saw that food and drink was regularly provided and records were maintained for people who were nutritionally at risk. Care plans were regularly reviewed to correspond with changing support needs and they were personalised and accessible.

People were encouraged to pursue interests and hobbies and regular activities were planned. Visitors were welcomed at any time. People knew the registered manager and felt confident that any concerns they raised would be resolved promptly. There were regular meetings with people and their relatives and their feedback was used to improve the home.

Risk was assessed and actions were put in place to reduce it and their effectiveness was monitored and regularly reviewed. Lessons were learnt when things went wrong to reduce the likelihood of it happening again. There were systems in the home to keep it clean and free from infection. Medicines were managed to reduce the risks associated with them and people received them when they needed them.

There were systems in place to drive quality improvement which included regular audits and feedback from people who use the service and staff. There were good relationships with other organisations and professionals; including specialist support to improve the home.