CQC report explained · a nursing home
What the CQC found at Belle Vue Country House
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
What inspectors found, May 2022
Belle Vue Country House is rated Good; inspectors found safe, kind and person-centred care, with some care records needing improvement.
This was an unannounced inspection on 22 April 2022. One inspector spoke with five people, three relatives, eight staff and two visiting health professionals. They also observed care and checked care, medicine, recruitment and management records.
The home was rated Good overall. Safe and Well-led were both rated Good. Inspectors found people felt safe, staff understood safeguarding, medicines were administered safely and staffing levels were sufficient.
People were treated with kindness and respect. Staff knew people's preferences and supported them in a person-centred way. However, care plans did not always record the personalised care staff were providing, so the provider was given a recommendation to improve record keeping.
The previous rating was also Good, published on 22 September 2017. This inspection included infection prevention and control checks because of COVID-19, and the home was found to have suitable arrangements in place.
People felt safe
People and relatives said they felt safe and could raise concerns. Staff understood how to recognise and report possible abuse.
“People and their relatives told us they felt safe and could to speak to the registered manager if they had any concerns.” from the report
Enough staff
Inspectors found enough staff were on duty and that call bells were answered promptly. Recruitment checks were completed before staff started work.
“There were enough staff on duty.” from the report
Kind, individual care
Staff knew people's likes, dislikes and support preferences. People and relatives described staff as kind, thoughtful and respectful.
“There were positive relationships between people and staff; interactions were warm, friendly and respectful.” from the report
Learning from incidents
The home reviewed accidents and incidents and took action to reduce risks. Staff discussed changes and learning with colleagues.
“Lessons were learnt when things go wrong, for example, when a person had a fall, the causes were investigated and action taken to reduce the risk by the introduction of a falls mat.” from the report
Care plans did not show all personalised care
needs fixingCare plans recorded health needs clearly but did not always record the detailed, individual care staff were providing. Inspectors recommended improving these records.
“We recommend the provider further develops care plans to reflect the detailed person centred knowledge and practice which was delivered at Belle Vue country house.” from the report
Some medicine guidance was not written down
needs fixingNurses knew when and how to give some as-required medicines, but this information was not recorded. Written protocols were put in place immediately after inspectors raised the issue.
“Whilst nurses knew this information it was not recorded.” from the report
- 01How have you improved care plans so they record each person's personalised care, including risk-control measures?
- 02How do you check that written guidance for as-required medicines is complete and available to permanent and agency nurses?
- 03How do you review accidents and incidents, and how are the resulting changes shared with staff and families?
- 04How do you make sure staffing levels remain sufficient when people's needs change?
- 05How are relatives involved in best-interest decisions and updates about their family member's care?
This was a focused inspection of Safe and Well-led, including infection prevention and control; the other key-question ratings were not given in this report. This explanation was written from the published report of 19 May 2022 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, September 2017
Rated Good; inspectors found safe, kind and personalised care, and the home remained Good in all five areas.
The inspection was unannounced and took place on 30 August 2017. Inspectors spoke with people living in the home, relatives, staff and health professionals. They observed care and mealtimes and reviewed care plans, medicines records, staff files, training records, complaints and safety checks.
The home provided nursing care and accommodation for up to 41 people. There were 31 people living there on the inspection day. Inspectors found that people were protected from abuse, medicines were managed safely, staffing was sufficient and the building was well maintained.
Inspectors found staff to be trained, kind and respectful. Care plans were personalised and regularly reviewed. People had access to healthcare, could make choices about their daily lives and were supported to eat, take part in activities and remain as independent as possible.
The overall rating was Good, with Good ratings for Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. This was the same overall rating as at the previous inspection on 18 August 2015.
Safe medicines
Inspectors found medicines were stored securely and administered and recorded appropriately. They also saw staff follow guidance for medicines given covertly.
“Medicines continued to be stored securely in a locked clinical room and appropriate arrangements were in place in relation to administering and recording of prescribed medicine.” from the report
Skilled staff
Staff had induction, training updates, supervision and development opportunities. Inspectors found them knowledgeable and skilled in meeting people's needs.
“Staff were knowledgeable and skilled in their role and meant people were cared for by skilled staff who met their care needs.” from the report
Kind and respectful care
Staff spoke warmly to people and supported their privacy, dignity, choices and independence. Other staff, including housekeeping and kitchen staff, also knew people well.
“Throughout the inspection we observed staff speaking to people in a warm and caring manner, and spending time to chat with people about their well being” from the report
Personalised care
Care plans described people's needs, histories, preferences and ways to support them when they became anxious or distressed. Inspectors saw care being delivered in line with a care plan.
“The care plans were detailed and gave descriptions of people's needs and the support staff should give to meet these.” from the report
Open management
People, relatives and staff described the manager as approachable. Meetings, audits, surveys and action plans were used to involve people and monitor the home.
“An open culture at the home remained. The registered manager was approachable and supportive and took an active role in the day to day running of the service.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01How do you assess staffing levels when a person's care needs change, and how do you maintain continuity when agency staff are used?
- 02Who is currently responsible for activities, and how are activities matched to each person's interests and choices?
- 03How will you involve me and my relative in care plan reviews and decisions about their care?
- 04How do you assess mental capacity and make sure any restrictions or covert medicines are legally authorised and reviewed?
- 05How do you record and respond if my relative refuses a medicine or their health needs change?
This was an unannounced comprehensive inspection covering all five CQC questions and included observations, discussions with people and staff, and checks of care, medicines, staffing and management records. This explanation was written from the published report of 22 September 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 Belle Vue Country House
4 rated inspections over 7 years: the service has held its Good rating throughout.
- May 2022Goodcurrent ratingstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- September 2017Goodstayed GoodSafe: GoodWell-led: Good
- September 2015Goodstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- January 2015GoodSafe: Requires improvementEffective: GoodCaring: OutstandingResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- October 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- October 2012
Report published without a new overall rating.
- January 2011
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 18 January 2011.
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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28 live-in carers within about an hour of West Sussex
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 £1,020 to £1,170 a week. 23 can care for a couple. 11 years' experience on average.
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.