CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at Bewick House
Rated Outstanding: inspectors found the home performing exceptionally well.
- Safe?
- Good
- Inspectors found regular risk assessments, safety checks and repairs. Medicines were administered and recorded correctly, staffing levels were sufficient, and recruitment checks were robust.
- Effective?
- Outstanding
- Staff received specialised training and worked closely with health professionals. Inspectors found this led to better health, independence and wellbeing outcomes.
- Caring?
- Good
- People were treated with kindness, dignity and respect. They were supported to express their views, make decisions and maintain important relationships.
- Responsive?
- Outstanding
- Care plans were exceptionally personalised and people had strong choice and control. The home supported activities, relationships, communication needs and personal goals, including increased independence.
- Well-led?
- Good
- Inspectors found clear leadership, regular audits and good communication with people, relatives and staff. The home worked well with local services and healthcare professionals.
What inspectors found, May 2020
Bewick House was rated Outstanding overall; inspectors found exceptionally effective and responsive care, with safe, kind and well-led support.
The CQC carried out an unannounced inspection on 6 February 2020. One inspector spoke with people living at the home, staff, an advocate and visiting social workers. They reviewed care records, medicines records, audits, training and other documents.
People told inspectors they were very happy. The home supported six people with learning disabilities to have more choice, independence, activities and contact with others. Inspectors found particularly strong partnership working with health professionals and highly personalised support.
The home was rated Good for Safe, Caring and Well-led. It was rated Outstanding for Effective and Responsive. The overall rating improved from Good at the previous inspection on 11 July 2017.
Personalised support
Care was tailored closely to each person's needs, wishes and goals. People were supported to build skills, manage anxiety and become more independent.
“Peoples needs were always met to a high standard. Staff had an excellent understanding of people's need and care plans were exceptionally person-centred.” from the report
Healthcare partnerships
The home worked closely with health and social care professionals. This helped people receive specialist support and achieve better health outcomes.
“The provider had developed exceptional partnership working with external professionals , such as social workers, psychiatrists, physiotherapists and GPs” from the report
Activities and independence
People took part in activities linked to their interests, learning and community life. Examples included volunteering, pet care and self-advocacy work.
“People followed interests and took take part in activities that had positive impacts on their lives and their overall well-being” from the report
Staff skills
Staff received extra specialist training to support people with unusual or complex needs. This included helping one person return home after hospital care.
“People were supported by staff who re- trained in specialised skills to support them in out of the ordinary circumstances.” from the report
Safe medicines and staffing
Inspectors found medicines records were complete and people received medicines at the correct time. They also found enough staff and safe recruitment checks.
“People received their medicines as prescribed, at the right time.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01How will you support my relative to set personal goals and increase their independence?
- 02What specialist training do staff have for my relative's particular health, communication or support needs?
- 03Which healthcare professionals are involved in my relative's care, and how do you work with them?
- 04What activities and community opportunities would be suitable for my relative?
- 05How will you involve my relative, their family and an advocate in care planning and reviews?
This was an unannounced inspection covering all five CQC questions, including the premises and the care provided; the previous overall rating was Good on 11 July 2017. This explanation was written from the published report of 6 May 2020 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 2017
Rated Good overall; inspectors found exceptionally person-centred support, with Responsive rated Outstanding.
The inspection was unannounced and took place on 17 May 2017. Inspectors spoke with people living at the home, visitors, staff, the manager and visiting professionals. They observed care and checked support plans, medicines, staff files, training records and quality checks.
The home was described as warm, welcoming and homely. People were treated kindly and supported to make daily choices, set goals, stay active and use local services. Inspectors found enough trained staff, safe medicines systems and suitable checks on risks and safety.
The home was rated Good overall, and also Good for Safe, Effective, Caring and Well-led. Responsive was rated Outstanding because people had exceptional choice and control, and support was closely shaped around their individual goals and interests. The previous inspection in January 2015 had also rated the home Good.
Personalised support
People were involved in creating and reviewing their own support plans. These recorded their preferences, history, needs and goals.
“Support plans were developed in partnership with people and not for people and these set out exactly how people liked to be supported and what goals they wanted to achieve.” from the report
Choice and independence
People were supported to make everyday choices and to develop skills, including through activities, education, managing money and caring for a pet.
“People were empowered to forward plan goals and to achieve them to improve their quality of life.” from the report
Meaningful activities
Activities were flexible and based on what people wanted to do. People used local clubs, amenities and community activities.
“Activities are always flexible. We support people to do what they want to do, when they want to do it.” from the report
Kind and respectful care
Inspectors saw staff treating people with kindness and respecting their privacy, dignity and independence.
“We saw that people were always respected by staff and treated with kindness.” from the report
Safe staffing and medicines
There was an established staff team, with enough staff to provide one-to-one support. Medicines records and administration were found to be safe.
“Medicines were stored, managed and administered safely. We looked at how records were kept and spoke with the registered manager about how senior staff were trained to administer medicines and how this was monitored.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01How are people involved in writing and reviewing their support plans now?
- 02How do you make sure there are enough trained staff to provide one-to-one support?
- 03How are people supported to set and achieve personal goals, such as education, exercise or managing money?
- 04How are medicines checked, recorded and reviewed?
- 05How can residents raise complaints or suggestions, and what changes have been made as a result?
This was an unannounced inspection covering all five key questions, the overall rating and the management of the home. This explanation was written from the published report of 11 July 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 Bewick House
3 rated inspections over 5 years: the service has improved, from Good to Outstanding.
- May 2020Outstandingcurrent ratingup from GoodSafe: GoodEffective: OutstandingCaring: GoodResponsive: OutstandingWell-led: Good
- July 2017Goodstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: OutstandingWell-led: Good
- January 2015GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- July 2014
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 1 July 2014.
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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36 live-in carers within about an hour of Darlington
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 £970 to £1,230 a week. 35 can care for a couple. 11 years' experience on average.
“Petty introduced herself to Mum every time she was caring for her and responded very quickly to Mum if she was distressed in the night.”
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.