CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at Brackenfield Hall
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 recruitment, appropriate risk management and medicines given by trained staff.
- Effective?
- Good
- Care plans reflected people's needs and were reviewed. Staff were trained, people received suitable food and drink, and they could access healthcare professionals.
- Caring?
- Good
- Staff were observed being kind and caring. People were involved in choices about their care, routines and preferences, and their dignity was respected.
- Responsive?
- Good
- Care plans included people's preferences and communication needs. People could take part in activities and raise complaints or concerns.
- Well-led?
- Good
- The management team used audits and action plans to identify and address improvements. People, relatives and staff were asked for their views.
What inspectors found, January 2023
Brackenfield Hall was rated Good; inspectors found safe, kind and personalised care, with minor cleaning and repair issues.
This was the first inspection since the service was registered in 2021. It was unannounced. Inspectors observed care, spoke with 10 people, four relatives and eight staff, and checked care, medicines, recruitment and management records.
All five areas were rated Good. Inspectors found enough staff, safe medicines practice, suitable care plans, staff training and support, and access to healthcare. People were supported with food, drink, activities and relationships.
Staff were kind and knew people well. People were involved in decisions about their care and daily lives. The home was clean and well presented, although kitchenettes needed a deep clean and some baths needed repair. The manager took action on the cleaning issue during the inspection.
Enough staff
Inspectors found staffing levels were sufficient to meet people's needs promptly. The manager used a dependency tool to help decide staffing requirements.
“Through our observations and talking with people, relatives and staff, we found there were enough staff available to meet people's needs in a timely way.” from the report
Kind and respectful care
Staff were observed treating people with kindness. People were offered choices and supported to make decisions about their care.
“We spent time observing staff interacting with people and found they were caring and kind.” from the report
Personalised support
Care plans recorded how people liked to receive care. People could choose room decorations, bring personal items and take part in activities they enjoyed.
“Care plans detailed and included information regarding how people liked to receive their care.” from the report
Learning from incidents
Accidents and incidents were reviewed for patterns. The home took actions such as using sensor mats or referring people to healthcare professionals.
“Accidents and incidents were analysed, and trends and patterns were identified to minimise risk of future incidents occurring.” from the report
Kitchenettes needed deep cleaning
minorInspectors found that kitchenettes on each unit needed a deep clean. The registered manager took immediate action during the inspection.
“However, kitchenettes on each unit required a deep clean.” from the report
Some baths needed repair
minorSome baths were not being used because they needed attention. People still had access to working bathing facilities, and repairs were being arranged.
“Some baths within the home required attention and were not in use at the time of our inspection.” from the report
- 01Have all the kitchenettes now had the deep clean identified during the inspection?
- 02Have the baths that were out of use been repaired, and how many bathing facilities are currently available?
- 03How will you make sure staffing remains sufficient as people's needs change?
- 04How are people and relatives involved in reviewing care plans and making decisions about daily care?
- 05What end of life care arrangements would be put in place if a resident needed this support?
This was an unannounced first inspection that assessed all five CQC areas and also looked at infection prevention and control. This explanation was written from the published report of 10 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.
Every inspection of Brackenfield Hall
3 rated inspections over 6 years: the service has improved, from Requires improvement to Good.
- January 2023Goodcurrent ratingstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- December 2017Goodup from Requires improvementSafe: GoodEffective: Requires improvementCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- November 2016Requires improvementSafe: Requires improvementEffective: Requires improvementCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Requires improvement
- May 2021
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 6 May 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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90 live-in carers within about an hour of Sheffield
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 £1,020 to £1,270 a week. 76 can care for a couple. 11 years' experience on average.
“Carla has been a god send with the implementation of bringing mum back home from respite care.”
“Beatrice was a talent dementia carer whose professionalism and dedication allowed mums wishes to remain in her own her come true.”
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.