CQC report explained · a nursing home
What the CQC found at Brook House Care Home
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
What inspectors found, August 2022
Brook House Care Home is rated Good; inspectors found kind, personalised care and effective safety systems.
This was an unannounced planned inspection on 27 June 2022. One inspector and two Experts by Experience spoke with five people, 14 relatives and 10 staff. They also checked care records, medicines records, staff recruitment files and management records.
The inspectors rated the home Good in all five areas: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. They found people were protected from abuse and infection, medicines were managed safely, and staff had suitable training and recruitment checks.
People received personalised care and support with health appointments, food, activities, family contact and religious needs. People and relatives described staff as kind and caring, and managers had systems for complaints, feedback, audits and improvements.
This was the first rated inspection for the newly registered service. The previous inspection, published on 12 March 2021, had not been rated.
Kind and respectful staff
People and relatives consistently described staff as kind, caring and respectful. Inspectors also saw staff supporting people calmly and in a person-centred way.
“People and relatives were consistently positive about the way staff treated them.” from the report
Personalised care plans
Care plans included people's routines, preferences, relationships, history and communication needs. They were reviewed when people's needs changed.
“People's care plans reflected their individual needs. They detailed people's preferences, routines, and how staff could best support them.” from the report
Safe medicines and infection control
Medicines were safely stored, given, recorded and disposed of. Inspectors were also assured about PPE, testing, cleaning and infection outbreak arrangements.
“Medicines were managed safely. This included the storage, administration, recording and disposal of medicines.” from the report
Activities and family contact
People were offered daily activities and support to maintain relationships with friends and relatives. The home also supported religious, cultural and spiritual needs.
“People were supported to access activities daily.” from the report
Management oversight
The manager used audits, meetings, feedback and information from other agencies to monitor the home and make improvements.
“Systems and processes were in place and effective in ensuring the registered manager had oversight of the service and could implement changes as required to improve the service.” from the report
Staffing on the dementia floor
minorSome staff said it would be useful to have another staff member on the dementia floor in the morning. The inspectors still found staffing levels sufficient overall.
“However, at times staff felt it would be useful to have another staff member on the dementia floor in the morning.” from the report
- 01How many staff are normally on the dementia floor in the morning, and how do you respond when an extra staff member is needed?
- 02How are my relative's care plan and risk assessments reviewed when their needs change?
- 03What daily activities would be suitable for my relative, and how would you support them to keep in touch with family and friends?
- 04How would you support my relative if they needed end of life care, given that nobody needed this support during the inspection?
- 05How will you keep me informed about my relative's progress, outcomes or any incidents?
This was an unannounced inspection covering all five key questions, including infection prevention and control under Safe; the previous inspection had not been rated. This explanation was written from the published report of 24 August 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, March 2021
Inspected but not rated; inspectors found strong infection prevention and control arrangements during the COVID-19 response.
This was a targeted inspection on 24 February 2021. It looked only at infection prevention and control measures, including how the home managed COVID-19 risks.
Inspectors found plentiful personal protective equipment, regular testing, enhanced cleaning and up-to-date infection control policies. They were assured that people were protected from infection and that admissions and visits by health professionals were managed safely.
The home was inspected but not rated. This means the inspection did not give an overall quality rating or a rating for the other four areas.
PPE supplies and use
There was a plentiful supply of PPE, with stations near bedrooms so staff could access masks, gloves, aprons and hand sanitiser.
“The provider had ensured there was a plentiful supply of personal protective equipment (PPE) and we saw staff use this appropriately.” from the report
Regular testing
Staff and people living in the home were included in a regular COVID-19 testing programme, including weekly staff testing and twice-weekly rapid tests.
“A regular programme of testing for COVID-19 was in place for staff and people who lived in the service.” from the report
Cleaning and infection checks
Enhanced cleaning and disinfection were carried out, including on frequently touched areas. Checklists and infection control audits were used to monitor this work.
“Enhanced cleaning and disinfection took place to reduce the risk of infection spread.” from the report
Up-to-date infection policies
The home's COVID-19 policies, procedures and risk assessments were up to date and supported infection control.
“Policies, procedures and risk assessments related to COVID-19 were up to date which supported staff keep people safe.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01How often are staff and residents currently tested for COVID-19 or other infections?
- 02How are PPE supplies checked and how do you monitor that staff use PPE correctly?
- 03How are cleaning tasks, especially for frequently touched areas, recorded and checked?
- 04What are the current arrangements for family visits and visits by health professionals?
- 05How do you safely admit new residents and manage any infection outbreak?
This was a targeted inspection of infection prevention and control practices only; the service was inspected but not rated and the other four questions were not assessed. This explanation was written from the published report of 12 March 2021 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 Brook House Care Home
Each visit the CQC has published, newest first, back to the day the home was registered.
- August 2022Goodcurrent ratingSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- March 2021Inspected but not ratedSafe: Inspected but not rated
- October 2020
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 19 October 2020.
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 West Northamptonshire
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 £1,280 a week. 87 can care for a couple. 12 years' experience on average.
“We can all fully relax around Nyarai and she feels like part of our family, which is no mean feat!”
“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.”
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.