CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at Braeburn Lodge
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
- Safe?
- Good
- Inspectors were assured that infection risks were being managed, including the use of protective equipment, testing, hand hygiene, cleaning and visiting arrangements.
- Effective?
- Good
- Does the care work? Training, consent, food and drink, working with GPs and nurses.
- Caring?
- Good
- Are people treated with kindness and dignity?
- Responsive?
- Good
- Is care built around the person? Care plans, activities, complaints.
- Well-led?
- Good
- Is the home run well? The manager, the culture, how problems get found and fixed.
What inspectors found, March 2022
Inspected but not rated; inspectors found strong infection control and visiting arrangements.
This was an announced, targeted inspection on 25 February 2022. Inspectors looked mainly at infection prevention and control, visiting arrangements, and whether COVID-19 staffing pressures affected people.
Inspectors found sufficient protective equipment, very clean premises, hand hygiene facilities, and checks on visitors’ vaccination status and lateral flow tests. They were assured that the home was managing infection risks, admissions, testing, shielding, social distancing and visiting in line with guidance.
The home was inspected but not rated. This means the report does not give a new overall rating or ratings for most areas of care.
Infection control audits
Monthly infection control audits were completed and linked to an action plan showing what still needed to be done.
“Monthly audits of the infection prevention and control were completed. There was an associated action plan, which clearly listed steps that needed to be completed.” from the report
Clean premises
Inspectors found the premises and equipment extremely clean, with hand hygiene points available throughout the building.
“The premises and equipment were extremely clean.” from the report
Protective equipment
The home had enough personal protective equipment and inspectors were assured it was being used safely and effectively.
“There were sufficient supplies of personal protective equipment.” from the report
Managed visiting
Visitors had their vaccination status and lateral flow test checked before entering the main building. Relatives and friends were supported to remain part of people’s everyday lives.
“The service ensured that visitors had their COVID-19 vaccination status and lateral flow test checked before entry to the main building.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01What staffing pressures were you experiencing at the inspection, and how did you make sure they did not affect people’s care?
- 02Which actions from the infection prevention and control plan were still outstanding, and have they now been completed?
- 03What checks are currently made on visitors’ vaccination status and testing before they enter?
- 04What is the latest full CQC rating for the home, including caring, effective, responsive and well-led care?
This was a targeted inspection of infection prevention and control, visiting arrangements and COVID-19-related staffing pressures; it was not a full inspection and the service was not rated. This explanation was written from the published report of 3 March 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, August 2019
Rated Good; inspectors found safe, kind and person-centred care, with one safeguarding notification missed and one garden-access issue corrected.
This was the first inspection since the home registered. Inspectors visited on 31 July and 2 August 2019. The first day was unannounced and the second was announced. They spoke with people living there, relatives, staff and health professionals. They also observed care and meals and checked care, medicine, staff and management records.
The inspectors rated the home Good in all five areas. They found enough staff, safe medicines systems, detailed risk assessments and a clean environment. Staff were trained and worked with health professionals. People and relatives described care as kind, respectful and based on individual wishes.
Care plans included people's interests, preferences and communication needs. People could choose when to get up, eat and take part in activities. The home had systems for complaints, audits and learning from accidents. Inspectors found one safeguarding concern had not been reported to the CQC, and one person had temporarily been unable to access the garden, but this was corrected during the inspection.
Staffing and safety
Inspectors found enough staff on both inspection days. The home did not use agency staff and had extra staff available to support consistency.
“People reported that there were, "always enough staff here to make sure you're okay," and that this was an accurate reflection of how the service operated.” from the report
Safe medicines
Medicines were given as prescribed, with trained staff, competency checks and regular audits. Electronic records were checked daily by the management team.
“Comprehensive medicine audits were formally undertaken monthly, however daily visual checks of the EMARs were completed daily by the management team” from the report
Kind and respectful care
Inspectors observed staff supporting people compassionately and maintaining their dignity, privacy and equality.
“People reported positive relationships with staff. One person stated, "Oh they are ever so lovely and kind.” from the report
Personalised support and activities
Care plans reflected people's interests, routines and preferences. Activities were adapted to individual interests and people could choose not to take part.
“You are always encouraged to engage in an activity, however, if you do not want to take part, they [staff] respect this.” from the report
Strong management checks
The home used daily checks, monthly audits and quarterly provider audits to monitor care, medicines, records, risks and the environment.
“The quality of the service was monitored through robust governance processes.” from the report
One safeguarding notification was missed
needs fixingThe CQC had been told about safeguarding concerns except for one. The report says this was discussed with the inspector, but it remains a shortfall in reporting.
“The Commission had been correctly informed of all safeguarding concerns, excluding one, which the registered manager had discussed with the inspector.” from the report
Temporary restriction on garden access
needs fixingOne person who had full capacity was not given the code needed to access the external gardens. The management team corrected this immediately.
“We did find one example where a person had full capacity, however had their liberty deprived by not being given the code to access the external gardens.” from the report
End of life arrangements had not been tested
minorNobody was receiving end of life care during the inspection. The home had a care plan, but inspectors said it needed more insight into how people might want to be supported at this stage.
“the service required insight into how people may wish to be supported at this stage.” from the report
- 01How do you make sure every safeguarding concern is reported to the CQC and the local safeguarding team?
- 02How will you make sure residents who have permission can access the external gardens whenever they choose?
- 03How are residents' end of life wishes recorded and kept up to date?
- 04How would staffing and care change if my relative's needs increased or they needed help at mealtimes?
- 05How are activities matched to each resident's interests, and how do you support someone who does not want to join in?
This was the first planned inspection of the newly registered care home and covered the premises, care and overall quality across all five CQC questions. This explanation was written from the published report of 28 August 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 Braeburn Lodge
Each visit the CQC has published, newest first, back to the day the home was registered.
- March 2022Inspected but not ratedcurrent ratingSafe: Inspected but not rated
- August 2019GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- August 2018
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 3 August 2018.
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
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42 live-in carers within about an hour of West Berkshire
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 £1,260 a week. 36 can care for a couple. 14 years' experience on average.
“Titus has compassion, patience, a great sense of humour and a very professional attitude.”
“Barbara treated my mother-in-law with enormous love and compassion and provided an environment where she could feel safe and seen”
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.