CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at Bollingbroke House
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
- Safe?
- Good
- People felt safe, risks were assessed, medicines were administered by trained staff, and equipment and building checks were maintained. Inspectors found some laundry, storeroom and deep-cleaning issues, which were addressed promptly or raised with the manager.
- Effective?
- Good
- People's needs were assessed and staff received training and support. People generally enjoyed the food, but inspectors found that people were not always offered a choice of meal during their visit.
- Caring?
- Good
- Staff were kind and patient, respected people's privacy and dignity, and involved people in decisions about their care.
- Responsive?
- Good
- Staff knew people well and supported relationships, activities and communication. However, care plans did not always include enough personal information such as people's interests, likes and dislikes.
- Well-led?
- Requires improvement
- The management team had systems to monitor the home, but these checks had missed several issues. Inspectors said improvements were needed in dementia support, care records, menu choices, infection control and the management of refurbishment.
What inspectors found, December 2022
Rated Good overall; inspectors found safe, kind care, but the home needed to improve its leadership and checking systems.
This was the first inspection since the home was registered in June 2021. Inspectors visited without warning on 2 November 2022. They spoke with people living there, relatives and staff, and checked care plans, medicines, staff records and management documents.
The home was rated Good for safe, effective, caring and responsive care. People said they felt safe, staff were kind, medicines were given correctly, and people were supported with food, activities, healthcare and decisions about their care.
The home was rated Requires Improvement for being well-led. Checks had missed problems with infection control, care records, menu choices and support for people living with dementia. Inspectors also found that refurbishment needed better planning to reduce disruption.
The overall rating was Good. This means the inspection found good care overall, but families should pay attention to how the home is improving its management checks and person-centred support.
People felt safe
People told inspectors they felt safe. Staff understood safeguarding and how to respond to suspected abuse, and risks linked to people's care were managed.
“People told us staff made them feel safe.” from the report
Medicines were managed safely
People received medicines as prescribed from trained staff. Records and storage arrangements, including temperature checks, supported safe administration.
“People received their medicines as prescribed by staff who were trained to administer medicines.” from the report
Kind and respectful staff
Inspectors saw staff treating people with kindness, patience and respect. Staff supported privacy and included people in decisions.
“Staff were kind and patient when supporting people, respecting people's views and including them in the decision-making process.” from the report
Activities and relationships
People were supported to maintain relationships and take part in activities. Inspectors saw people making Christmas cards, watching a film and listening to music.
“During our inspection we saw staff engaging people in making Christmas cards, watching a film and listening to music.” from the report
Management checks missed problems
needs fixingThe home's audits did not identify some problems found by inspectors. These included care planning records, menu choices, storage and support for people living with dementia.
“Audits had not identified some concerns such as items stored on floor in storerooms, some recording issues within care planning documentation, menu choices and support designed for people living with dementia.” from the report
Care tasks were not always recorded
needs fixingCare records were sometimes inconsistent and did not always show accurately what care had been provided. The plans also lacked some personal information about people's interests and preferences.
“Care tasks were not always being recorded and therefore did not always accurately reflect care provided.” from the report
Infection control and refurbishment
minorThe laundry needed attention because of worn units and dust and debris. Some cleaning concerns were dealt with during the inspection, while refurbishment was not being coordinated well enough to minimise disruption.
“We found the laundry required attention due to worn units and buildup of dust and debris.” from the report
- 01What changes have been made to the audits so they now identify problems with care records, infection control and dementia support?
- 02How do you make sure care tasks are recorded accurately every day?
- 03What picture menus, signs or other support are now available for people living with dementia?
- 04How are residents offered meal choices, including at the time meals are served?
- 05How has the refurbishment been planned to reduce disruption for people living at the home?
This was an unannounced first inspection covering all five key questions, including infection prevention and control under Safe. This explanation was written from the published report of 14 December 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.
Every inspection of Bollingbroke House
3 rated inspections over 6 years: the service has held its Good rating throughout.
- December 2022Goodcurrent ratingSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Requires improvement
- March 2021Inspected but not ratedSafe: Inspected but not rated
- May 2019Goodstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- November 2016GoodSafe: GoodEffective: Requires improvementCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- June 2021
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 10 June 2021.
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 99 live-in carers within about an hour of Barnsley
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 £1,260 a week. 82 can care for a couple. 12 years' experience on average.
“Carla has been a god send with the implementation of bringing mum back home from respite care.”
“Ivy was very kind and gentle in all her dealings with my late mother. They got on very well and were able to share a joke and a laugh.”
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.