CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at Birchwood Residential Care Home
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
- Safe?
- Good
- Inspectors found enough suitably skilled staff, safe recruitment, appropriate risk assessments and safe medicines management. Infection prevention and control arrangements were also suitable.
- Effective?
- Good
- This area was not inspected during this visit. Its previous rating was carried forward when calculating the overall rating.
- Caring?
- Good
- This area was not inspected during this visit. Its previous rating was carried forward when calculating the overall rating.
- Responsive?
- Good
- This area was not inspected during this visit. Its previous rating was carried forward when calculating the overall rating.
- Well-led?
- Good
- Inspectors found a positive culture, approachable management and improved systems for checking quality, safety and staffing.
What inspectors found, March 2023
Birchwood Residential Care Home is rated Good; inspectors found safe, well-managed care and improvements since the last inspection.
This was an unannounced focused inspection on 14 March 2023. Inspectors checked whether earlier problems with staffing and management oversight had been fixed. They reviewed care records, staff files, medicines records and management records, and spoke with people, relatives and staff.
The home had enough suitably skilled staff, safe recruitment checks and systems to protect people from abuse and avoidable harm. Medicines were managed safely, infection control arrangements were suitable, and risks and incidents were reviewed.
The home had a positive culture. People and relatives said staff were kind and caring. New auditing and monitoring systems were being used to identify and make improvements.
The overall rating is Good. Safe and well-led were both rated Good. The other three areas were not inspected during this visit, so their previous ratings were used to calculate the overall rating.
Staffing improved
Inspectors found enough permanent staff with the right skills and experience to meet people's needs. People and relatives were also happy with staffing levels.
“During our inspection, there were sufficient staff available with the right skills and experience to meet the individual needs of people who used the service.” from the report
Safe medicines
Staff were trained and checked as competent. Medicines were stored, given and recorded safely, including controlled medicines.
“Medicines were safely administered, regularly audited and appropriately stored and disposed of.” from the report
Better oversight
The home had introduced wider audits and action plans to monitor the service and make improvements.
“During our inspection, we noted improvements had been made around the concerns we identified.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01How do you use the dependency tool to decide how many staff are needed on each shift?
- 02How do you make sure staffing levels remain sufficient when there are absences or emergencies?
- 03What recent findings have your medicine, infection control and safety audits identified?
- 04How would you support my relative's particular needs if they are living with dementia or have changing health needs?
- 05How are people and relatives involved when care plans are reviewed or their needs change?
This was a focused inspection of Safe and Well-led only; the other ratings were carried forward from the previous inspection. This explanation was written from the published report of 24 March 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, November 2019
Birchwood Residential Care Home was rated Requires Improvement; care was kind and responsive, but staffing and oversight were not always safe or effective.
Inspectors visited on 19 and 20 September 2019. The first day was unannounced and the second was announced. They spoke with people, relatives and staff, observed care, and checked care, medicines, staffing and management records.
People generally described kind, respectful care. The home was rated Good for effective, caring and responsive care. Inspectors found good support with food, medicines, healthcare, personal choices, activities and end-of-life wishes.
The main concern was staffing. People sometimes waited for help, and inspectors saw people in lounge areas without staff on three occasions. The home was also rated Requires Improvement for leadership because its checks had not identified the staffing problems.
The overall rating was Requires Improvement, down from Good at the previous inspection. The provider was asked for an action plan, and the home said it had deployed a team leader on each floor to reduce the risks.
Kind and respectful care
People and relatives were positive about staff. Inspectors found that staff knew people well, respected their dignity and encouraged independence.
“People and their relatives told us staff were caring. They described staff as, "lovely "and "kind.” from the report
Personalised care
Care plans included people's needs, preferences and communication requirements. People and relatives were involved in planning and reviewing care.
“Care plans were detailed and contained information about people's needs, their likes and dislikes.” from the report
Medicines and risk management
Medicines were given at the correct times, and staff were trained and checked as competent. Individual risks were assessed and reviewed.
“Medicines records showed people received their prescribed medicines at the correct times.” from the report
Food and healthcare support
People were supported with meals, drinks and snacks suited to their needs and preferences. The home worked with health professionals and arranged healthcare appointments.
“People were supported to eat a balanced diet that met their individual preferences.” from the report
Not enough staff at times
seriousPeople and staff reported delays and pressure caused by staffing levels. Inspectors saw people in lounge areas without staff, creating a risk of harm.
“During the inspection we observed incidents on three occasions when people were in the lounge areas without a member of staff.” from the report
Quality checks missed staffing problems
seriousThe home's audits and staffing tools did not identify the difficulties reported by staff or the unclear deployment shown in rotas.
“The systems in place did not always identify the concerns we found regarding staffing.” from the report
- 01What are the current staffing levels on each unit and on each shift?
- 02How do you make sure people are not left alone in lounge areas when they may be at risk of falls or behaviour that challenges the service?
- 03How are staff allocated to each unit, and how is this recorded on the rotas?
- 04What action plan was sent to the CQC after the two breaches, and what evidence shows the changes have worked?
- 05How do you make sure meals are placed within easy reach for people who eat at smaller tables?
This was a planned inspection covering all five CQC questions, with the previous overall rating of Good reviewed. This explanation was written from the published report of 30 November 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.
Every inspection of Birchwood Residential Care Home
4 rated inspections over 7 years: the service has held its Good rating throughout.
- March 2023Goodcurrent ratingup from Requires improvementSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
Read what inspectors found at Birchwood Residential Care Home →
- November 2019Requires improvementdown from GoodSafe: Requires improvementWell-led: Requires improvement
Read what inspectors found at Birchwood Residential Care Home →
- March 2017Goodstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- November 2015GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: Requires improvementWell-led: Good
- January 2014
Report published without a new overall rating.
- February 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- December 2011
Report published without a new overall rating.
- December 2010
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 16 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.
Weigh the report against the rest
Fees, photos and reviews from families
How to read CQC ratings and reports
What to check when you visit
At least 100 live-in carers within about an hour of Redbridge
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. 75 can care for a couple. 10 years' experience on average.
“Sidonia is a first class live-in carer whose dedication and thoughtfulness made her stay a happy experience.”
“Charity would take Nan on holidays day trips and shopping adventures”
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.