CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at 16 Balnacraig Avenue (The Leaves)
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
- Safe?
- Good
- People were protected from abuse and avoidable harm. Risks were reviewed, staffing levels were described as sufficient, medicines were managed safely and the home was clean.
- Effective?
- Good
- Staff had suitable training and supervision. People's food, health and communication needs were understood, and staff worked with health professionals.
- Caring?
- Good
- Staff treated people with dignity, patience and respect. Relatives said staff were kind, and people were supported to express their views and maintain relationships.
- Responsive?
- Good
- Care was personalised to people's preferences, including cultural and spiritual needs. People took part in activities such as day centres, walks, meals out and therapy sessions.
- Well-led?
- Good
- Managers and staff worked as a team and relatives found management approachable. Audits and action plans were used to monitor and improve the home.
What inspectors found, October 2019
Rated Good; inspectors found safe, kind and person-centred care across all five areas.
The CQC carried out an unannounced inspection over two days in September 2019. The inspector spoke with relatives, staff and managers, and checked care records, medicines records, staff files and quality checks.
Six people were living in the home during the inspection, which can support up to seven people. Inspectors found that people were safe, treated with kindness and supported to make choices and build independence.
All five areas were rated Good: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. The home had also been rated Good at the previous inspection in August 2017.
Person-centred support
Care was planned around each person's preferences, needs, choices and independence. People were supported to live as full a life as possible.
“People using the service receive planned and co-ordinated person-centred support that is appropriate and inclusive for them.” from the report
Safe medicines
Only trained and assessed staff gave medicines. Medicines were stored securely, records were maintained and regular checks were carried out.
“The service adhered to robust procedures for ordering, disposing, administering and recording medicines for people in the service.” from the report
Understanding communication
Staff understood people's facial expressions, gestures and other ways of communicating. Picture cards were used when helpful, including for food and activity choices.
“Staff had very good understanding of the signs, facial expressions and gestures used by people to make themselves understood and make choices about their care.” from the report
Kind and respectful care
Inspectors saw staff speaking gently, giving people time and respecting privacy and dignity. Relatives also described the staff as kind and caring.
“We observed caring, respectful and appropriate interactions between staff and the people they supported.” from the report
Improvement since the last inspection
The report says care plans were more detailed, teamwork had improved and people were taking part in more activities. The new manager had also built stronger outside relationships.
“The service had continued to improve since the last inspection.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01How will you learn and use my relative's particular signs, gestures or other communication methods?
- 02How will you involve my relative and our family in care plan reviews and decisions?
- 03What activities and community opportunities would be suitable for my relative?
- 04How are medicines checked, and how would you manage any changes to prescribed medicines?
- 05What support would be provided if my relative needed a best-interests decision or a Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards authorisation?
This was an unannounced planned inspection covering all five CQC questions, including care, records, medicines, staffing, the environment and management systems. This explanation was written from the published report of 3 October 2019 by an AI system and checked against the report text: every quoted line appears in the report. It is a guide to the report, not a substitute for it. Read the full report on cqc.org.uk.
What inspectors found, August 2017
Rated Good; inspectors found safe, kind and personalised care, with some management and afternoon staffing issues to keep under review.
The inspection was comprehensive and unannounced. It took place on 23 June 2017 and involved observations, records, discussions with relatives, staff and health professionals, and a review of the home’s management systems.
The home supported six people on the inspection day and had space for seven people with learning and physical disabilities. Inspectors found people were protected from abuse, received their medicines safely, and lived in a clean home. Staff were trained, caring and respectful. Care plans were detailed and regularly reviewed, and people had access to activities and health professionals.
All five areas were rated Good: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. This means the inspectors found the service met the required standards at that inspection. The home had also been rated Good at the previous inspection in April 2015.
Safe care and medicines
Inspectors found that safeguarding systems, risk plans and medicine procedures protected people from avoidable harm.
“Medicines administration records had no gaps and stock levels recorded corresponded with actual medicine stored at the home.” from the report
Kind and respectful staff
Staff understood people's histories and preferences. Inspectors saw privacy, dignity and independence being respected.
“We observed very good and caring relationships between people and staff that supported them.” from the report
Personalised care plans
Care plans described what mattered to each person, how they communicated and how they wanted to be supported. Reviews took place regularly.
“Care plans viewed were detailed and centred on the person.” from the report
Good health and nutrition support
People were offered a varied diet and regular drinks. The home worked with a range of health professionals to respond to changing needs.
“The service had good links with the local learning disability team and responded quickly to people's changing health needs.” from the report
Open management systems
Relatives and staff could give feedback, and regular checks covered care plans, medicines, staffing, health and safety and maintenance.
“The temporary manager undertakes a full review of the quality of care and service provided every three months, which was monitored by the operation manager.” from the report
Registered manager vacancy
minorThe registered manager had left and the person appointed afterwards had also left. The provider was recruiting, while a temporary manager ran the home.
“The provider continues to recruit for a new registered manager.” from the report
Afternoon staffing and outings
minorStaff said there were enough staff in the morning but that more afternoon staff would help people go out. A permanent driver had recently been employed to support outings.
“Staff told us that they had enough staff during the morning, but could do with some more in the afternoon to be able to take people out.” from the report
- 01Has a registered manager now been appointed, and who is responsible for the home while recruitment continues?
- 02How many staff are normally on duty during afternoons, and how often are people able to go out?
- 03What outings and community activities are currently available, and how is the new driver being used?
- 04How will you involve our relative in care plan reviews if they have limited verbal communication?
- 05How are medicine records, risk plans and changing health needs checked between formal reviews?
This was a comprehensive, unannounced inspection covering all five CQC questions, with ratings compared with the previous inspection in April 2015. This explanation was written from the published report of 3 August 2017 by an AI system and checked against the report text: every quoted line appears in the report. It is a guide to the report, not a substitute for it. Read the full report on cqc.org.uk.
Every inspection of 16 Balnacraig Avenue (The Leaves)
3 rated inspections over 4 years: the service has held its Good rating throughout.
- October 2019Goodcurrent ratingstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
Read what inspectors found at 16 Balnacraig Avenue (The Leaves) →
- August 2017Goodstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
Read what inspectors found at 16 Balnacraig Avenue (The Leaves) →
- June 2015GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- September 2014
Report published without a new overall rating.
- July 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- September 2012
Report published without a new overall rating.
- December 2010
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 20 December 2010.
Ratings and report dates from the Care Quality Commission, Open Government Licence v3.0. A home can also be visited without a new rating being published, so the timeline shows published inspections.
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At least 100 live-in carers within about an hour of Brent
These are self-employed carers on PrimeCarers, the introductory agency that runs this directory. Each has a profile with their own rates and reviews from families, and you choose who to talk to.
Most charge £980 to £1,260 a week. 74 can care for a couple. 11 years' experience on average.
“The quality of life that she's given my parents has been priceless. The peace of mind she's given my sisters and I, through a very difficult time, has been invaluable.”
“I can truly say that Peter always put Dad at the centre of everything and I know that they found a great friendship in difficult times.”
Every carer has had an enhanced DBS check in the last 18 months, ID and right-to-work checks and an online interview. Their skills and training are for you to check with them. Carers set their own rates, and who is free changes week to week.