This unannounced inspection took place on 14 and 15 February 2017. The home was previously inspected in October 2014 when the service was rated ‘Good’. This means the service met all relevant fundamental standards.

The Beeches is a purpose built care home on the outskirts of Wath-upon- Dearne. It provides accommodation for up to 44 people on two floors. Care is provided for people who have needs associated with those of older people, including dementia. There is a small car park at the side of the home, with further roadside parking at the front. At the time of this inspection there were 41 people living at the home.

The service has a registered manager. 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.

People we spoke with said they were very happy with the way staff delivered care, the social activities available and the general facilities at the home. Throughout our inspection we saw positive interactions between staff and people using the service, as well as with visitors.

All the people we spoke with, including staff, told us the home was a safe place to live and work. Staff were knowledgeable about how to recognise signs of potential abuse and the reporting procedures. Assessments identified potential risks to people, and management plans to reduce the risks were in place.

Recruitment processes were thorough, so helped the employer make safer recruitment decisions when employing new staff. At the time of the inspection there was sufficient staff employed to meet people’s needs.

People received their medications safely from staff who had completed medication training.

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 support this practice.

Staff had access to a varied training programme which helped them meet the needs of people using the service and develop their skill and knowledge. Support sessions had been provided to staff, but these were not consistent with the provider’s policy. However, staff said they felt well supported and the registered manager was taking action to address any shortfalls.

People received a well-balanced diet that offered variety and choice. The people we spoke with said they were very happy with the meals provided.

People were treated with dignity, respect, kindness and understanding. Staff demonstrated a good knowledge of the people they cared for, their preferences and abilities.

Each person had a care file which reflected their needs and preferences. Care plans had been evaluated regularly and updated to reflect people’s changing needs.

There was a system in place to tell people how to raise concerns and how these would be managed. People told us the management team were approachable, and always ready to listen and act promptly to address any concerns.

There were systems in place to assess if the home was operating correctly and people were satisfied with the service provided. This included meetings and regular audits. Where necessary action plans had been put in place to address any areas that needed improving.

Further information is in the detailed findings below.

People told us staff provided the care and attention they needed in a friendly, helpful and caring way. They said they respected their choices and we saw they enabled people to be as independent as possible.

We saw each person had a care plan which in the main detailed people’s care needs and identified any risks associated with the care and support.

People’s health, safety and welfare was protected when more than one provider was involved in their care and treatment, or when they moved between different services. This was because the provider worked in co-operation with others.

People were cared for in a clean, hygienic environment. We saw there were effective systems in place to reduce the risk and spread of infection.

People were protected against the risks associated with medicines because the provider had appropriate arrangements in place to manage medicines.

There were enough qualified, skilled and experienced staff to meet people's needs. We observed staff were able to meet people's needs in a timely way

There were systems in place to gain people’s views and check if staff were following company policies.

We were unable to gain the verbal views of some people but the six people we spoke with told us about their experiences of living at the home. We also spoke with two relatives and five staff. We watched how staff cared for and supported people, and checked records.

We saw that before people received any care or treatment they were asked for their consent and the provider acted in accordance with their wishes. If anyone was unable to give consent systems were in place to consult other people to make sure things were carried out in their best interest.

People’s comments indicated they received the care and support they needed and they were happy with how staff delivered care. One person said, “The staff are sometimes stretched but they do their job well.” Another person commented, “The care here is wonderful.”

People received well balanced meals that provided variety and choice. Staff promoted healthy eating and checked people were eating and drinking enough.

We saw the home provided specialist equipment to meet people’s needs and keep them safe. There was a system in place to make sure equipment was satisfactorily maintained.

Background checks had been carried out on staff before they started to work at the home. This included ensuring staff underwent a Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) check.

We saw the complaints procedure was available to people who used and visited the service. People told us they felt comfortable taking any concerns to the manager.

When we last visited the service on 5 December 2011 people who used the service told us they were satisfied with the care they received. People told us they were well looked after and were consulted about their care and treatment. We did not speak to people who used the service during this follow up visit.

People we spoke with said staff were friendly, supportive and professional. They told us that they were consulted about their care and were able to make their own decisions about life in the home.

People said the food was good and that the choice of food, for each meal, was flexible.

People told us they felt safe in the home and the care was good. People knew who to speak to if they had a problem and they told us the staff or manager took quick action to put things right.

The inspection took place on 13 and14 October 2014 and was unannounced on the first day. We last inspected the service in November 2013 when it was found to be compliant with the regulations we assessed.

The Beeches is a purpose built care home on the outskirts of Wath-upon- Dearne. It provides accommodation for up to 44 people on two floors. The care provided is for people who have needs associated with those of older people, including dementia. The home does not provide nursing care.

The service had a registered manager in post at the time of our inspection. 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 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

Throughout our inspection we saw staff supporting people in a caring and patient manner. They encouraged people to be as independent as possible while taking into consideration any risks associated with their care. People who used the service, three relatives and the healthcare professional we spoke with were complimentary about the care and support provided.

People received their medications in a timely way from senior staff who had been trained to carry out this role.

We saw there was enough skilled and experienced staff on duty to meet people’s needs. We found staff had been recruited using a robust system that made sure they were suitable to work with vulnerable people. They had received a structured induction and essential training at the beginning of their employment. This had been followed by regular refresher training to update their knowledge and skills.

People received a well-balanced diet and were involved in choosing what they ate. The people we spoke with said they were happy with the meals provided. We saw specialist dietary needs had been assessed and catered for.

People told us their needs had been assessed before they moved into the home and they had been involved in formulating their care plan. The three care files we checked reflected people’s needs and preferences and had been reviewed and updated on a regular basis.

A structured programme was in place to enable people to join in regular activities and stimulation. People told us they enjoyed the planned sessions as well as taking part in religious services, which were held regularly.

People told us they had no complaints but would feel comfortable speaking to staff if they had any concerns. We saw the complaints policy was easily available to people using or visiting the service.  

The provider had a system in place to enable people to share their opinion of the service provided and the general facilities at the home. We also saw a comprehensive audit system had been used to check if company policies had been followed and the premise was safe and well maintained. Where improvements were needed we saw the provider had put action plans in place to address these.