CQC report explained · a nursing home
What the CQC found at Birchmere House
Rated Requires improvement: inspectors found the home was not performing as well as it should and told it what to change.
What inspectors found, February 2022
Inspected but not rated; inspectors found good infection control arrangements during a targeted COVID-19 inspection.
Inspectors visited the home on 24 January 2022. The visit was announced 24 hours in advance and focused on infection prevention, visiting arrangements and staffing pressures linked to COVID-19.
Inspectors were assured that the home was managing infection risks. This included using personal protective equipment safely, arranging testing, supporting safe admissions and visits, and keeping its infection control policy up to date.
The home had automatic doors in busy areas and could use its three floors to limit unnecessary movement during an outbreak. The report gives no overall quality rating because this was a targeted inspection.
PPE use
Inspectors found that staff were following PPE guidance, with no problems identified during the visit.
“All staff complied with personal protective equipment (PPE) guidance with no identified issues related to its usage.” from the report
Building layout
The separate floors could help reduce unnecessary movement and support infection control if there was an outbreak.
“The 3 separate floors allow the service to reduce unnecessary movement onto each floor and can be used as an effective control measure if an outbreak occurred.” from the report
Reduced touch points
Automatic doors had been added in busy areas to reduce the need to touch doors.
“Automatic doors had been installed in high flow areas to remove the need to touch door areas in order to pass through.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01What measures are currently in place to manage staffing pressures caused by COVID-19 or other absences?
- 02How are visits currently arranged, and what infection control measures must visitors follow?
- 03How does the home now manage a possible infection outbreak across the three floors?
- 04How is the home currently checking PPE use, testing and infection control practice?
- 05Are all non-exempt staff and visiting professionals still meeting the COVID-19 vaccination requirement?
This was a targeted inspection of infection prevention and control, visiting arrangements and COVID-19-related staffing pressures; it did not provide an overall quality rating. This explanation was written from the published report of 3 February 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, April 2018
Birchmere House was rated Good overall; inspectors found safe, kind and personalised care, with one communication shortfall about choking risk.
Inspectors carried out an unannounced comprehensive inspection on 16 January 2018. They spoke with people, relatives, staff and managers. They observed care and mealtimes, checked eight people's records, reviewed two staff files and examined the home's quality checks.
The home was rated Good in all five areas: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. Inspectors found enough staff, suitable risk assessments, safe medicines practice, trained staff, kind care and activities matched to people's interests.
The home had improved since earlier inspections. Records and care plans were more accurate and up to date, staffing had improved and people were receiving more personalised care. Inspectors found the previous breach of good governance had been resolved.
There was one information-sharing error during the visit. Information about one person's choking risk was not passed to the nurse coming on duty. The manager took immediate action to address this.
Staffing and safety
People said there were enough staff and that help arrived promptly. Recruitment checks and safeguarding training were also in place.
“All people we spoke with during our visit told us there were enough staff on duty to meet their needs and keep them safe.” from the report
Improved records
The home had improved its care planning and risk management since the previous inspection. Inspectors found records were reviewed and updated when people's needs changed.
“Each person's risk assessment and care plan had been reviewed an updated where necessary to ensure the information was correct.” from the report
Kind and respectful care
People described staff as caring and patient. Inspectors saw that privacy, dignity, personal preferences and independence were respected.
“We saw and people told us they were always treated with dignity and respect.” from the report
Activities and community links
People could choose from a range of activities and use the home's minibus to visit places in the local community.
“The home had its own minibus, which meant people could access their local community on a daily basis.” from the report
Information about choking risk
needs fixingInformation about one person's choking risk was not passed to the nurse taking over their care. The manager took immediate action, but families should ask how important risks are handed over between shifts.
“However, we were aware that one person was at risk of choking and this information was not passed onto the nurse who was responsible for the persons care when they came on duty.” from the report
- 01How do you make sure information about choking risks is passed to every nurse and care worker at each handover?
- 02How are people's risk assessments and care plans reviewed when their needs change?
- 03How do you make sure there are enough permanent staff and keep agency use low?
- 04How are people's food and drink needs, including special diets and thickened drinks, recorded and checked?
- 05How do people and their families influence care plans, activities and improvements in the home?
This was an unannounced comprehensive inspection covering all five key questions; the report also explains that the previous focused inspection had rated Safe and Well-led Requires Improvement, with the earlier governance breach resolved. This explanation was written from the published report of 18 April 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 Birchmere House
4 rated inspections over 3 years: the service has held its Good rating throughout.
- February 2022Inspected but not ratedcurrent ratingSafe: Inspected but not rated
- April 2018Goodup from Requires improvementSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- December 2016Requires improvementstayed Requires improvementSafe: Requires improvementWell-led: Requires improvement
- May 2016Requires improvementSafe: Requires improvementEffective: Requires improvementCaring: Requires improvementResponsive: Requires improvementWell-led: Requires improvement
- January 2016Inspected but not ratedSafe: Requires improvementWell-led: Requires improvement
- March 2015GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- November 2014
Report published without a new overall rating.
- March 2014
Report published without a new overall rating.
- August 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- May 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- February 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- November 2012
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 2 November 2012.
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 Solihull
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 £1,250 a week. 78 can care for a couple. 9 years' experience on average.
“If you bump into her in the night on her way to the bathroom she will still inquire how you are and if everything is alright.”
“I have never met a person who is so kind and thinks about others before himself to such an extent as Chris Malagala.”
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.