CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at Berry Pomeroy
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
- Safe?
- Good
- People were protected from abuse and avoidable harm. Inspectors found enough staff, safe medicines systems, suitable risk assessments and effective infection control.
- Effective?
- Good
- No rating was given for this question in this inspection.
- Caring?
- Good
- No rating was given for this question in this inspection, although inspectors observed kind interactions and people having choices.
- Responsive?
- Good
- No rating was given for this question in this inspection, although care plans were described as individualised and reflected people's needs and choices.
- Well-led?
- Good
- Inspectors found a positive culture, personalised care planning and regular audits. Leaders had good oversight and acted on areas needing improvement.
What inspectors found, January 2023
Berry Pomeroy is rated Good; inspectors found safe, kind care, with minor improvements needed in staff records and care documentation.
This was an unannounced inspection on 10 January 2023. One inspector reviewed records, medicines, care plans, risk assessments, recruitment and audits. They spoke with people living at the home, relatives, staff and health and social care professionals, and observed care and mealtimes.
The home was rated Good for Safe and Well-led. Inspectors found enough safely recruited staff, suitable support with medicines, clean premises and effective infection control. People said they felt safe, had choices and were treated kindly. Care plans were personalised and the home had regular checks to monitor quality.
The inspection found two areas to improve. Full employment histories had not always been obtained for some staff. Inspectors also recommended reviewing parts of the care records so they fully reflect the quality of care and service. The overall rating remained Good, as did the ratings for Safe and Well-led from the previous inspection.
People felt safe
People and relatives told inspectors that people were safe. Staff understood safeguarding procedures and knew what to do if they were worried about harm.
“People and their relatives told us people were safe at the home.” from the report
Kind and respectful care
People were supported to make choices and maintain their independence. Inspectors saw relaxed interactions between people and staff.
“People told us they were happy living at Berry Pomeroy.” from the report
Safe staffing and medicines
There were enough staff on each shift, with recruitment checks and induction arrangements in place. Medicines were administered safely, and some people were supported to manage their own medicines.
“There were enough staff to safely support people each shift.” from the report
Clean home and infection control
The home was clean and tidy, with systems to prevent and manage infections, including the use of protective equipment.
“The home was clean and tidy throughout.” from the report
Incomplete employment histories
needs fixingInspectors found that a full employment history had not always been obtained for some staff. The home said it would address this and later provided information about steps being taken.
“We identified that the registered manager had not always obtained a full employment history for some staff.” from the report
Care records need review
needs fixingInspectors said the care plans contained the information staff needed, but recommended reviewing some parts so the records better reflect the quality of care and service.
“Although care plans and records contained the information staff needed we recommend the provider reviews aspects of this to ensure it fully reflects the quality of care and service provided.” from the report
- 01Have you now obtained and checked a full employment history for every staff member?
- 02What changes have you made to care plans and records following the inspectors' recommendation?
- 03How do you review and reduce the risk of falls while respecting a person's wish to remain independent?
- 04How do you assess whether someone can safely manage all or some of their own medicines?
- 05How do you make sure staffing levels remain sufficient when there are staff absences?
This was a focused inspection of Safe and Well-led, including infection prevention and control; the other three key question ratings were not given in this report. This explanation was written from the published report of 25 January 2023 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, July 2018
Rated Good in every area; inspectors found safe, kind and responsive care with effective leadership.
This was an unannounced comprehensive inspection on 07 June 2018. Inspectors observed care, spoke with people, relatives and staff, and checked care records, medicines, staff files, audits and policies.
The home was rated Good overall and Good for Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. Inspectors found enough staff, safe medicines systems, current care plans and staff who understood people's needs and choices.
People were treated with dignity and supported to stay independent. The home provided activities, responded to changing needs, handled complaints and used checks and feedback to improve care.
Kind and respectful care
Staff knew people well and supported their dignity, privacy and independence. People were offered choices about their daily care.
“Staff knew the people that they were supporting. They [Staff] knew people's names and they spoke to them in a caring and affectionate way.” from the report
Safe medicines
Medicines were stored, administered and recorded safely. Inspectors found no gaps in the medicines administration records they checked.
“There were no gaps or omissions which indicated people received their medicines as prescribed.” from the report
Strong oversight
The manager used regular audits, meetings and feedback to monitor care and put improvements in place when needed.
“We found that the registered manager had a comprehensive quality assurance system and used these principles to critically review the home.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01How will you assess and update my relative's care plan if their needs change?
- 02How many care staff will normally be on duty on mornings, afternoons and nights?
- 03How will you support my relative's preferred activities, interests and relationships?
- 04How will you make sure medicines are given and recorded safely for my relative?
- 05How can my relative or our family raise a complaint, and how will it be handled?
This was an unannounced comprehensive inspection covering all five CQC questions and the overall quality of the home. This explanation was written from the published report of 5 July 2018 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 Berry Pomeroy
2 rated inspections over 5 years: the service has held its Good rating throughout.
- January 2023Goodcurrent ratingstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- July 2018GoodSafe: GoodWell-led: Good
- June 2017
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 1 June 2017.
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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19 live-in carers within about an hour of East 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 £1,000 to £1,400 a week. 13 can care for a couple. 10 years' experience on average.
“When he point blank refused to go into hospital for a life saving blood transfusion she talked him through the situation and agreed to go in the ambulance with him and stayed until he was settled.”
“Una felt safe, secure and loved in her time with Debbie which is a gift that I am eternally grateful for.”
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.