CQC report explained · a nursing home
What the CQC found at Byron House Care Home
Rated Outstanding: inspectors found the home performing exceptionally well.
- Safe?
- Good
- People were protected from abuse and avoidable harm. Inspectors found suitable risk assessments, enough staff, safe medicine administration and good infection control, although parts of the electronic medicines system were still being developed.
- Effective?
- Good
- Care was based on people's assessed needs and current guidance. Staff received detailed, practical training, and people were supported with food, drinks, healthcare and decisions about their care.
- Caring?
- Outstanding
- Staff treated people with exceptional kindness, dignity and respect. People and relatives were involved in decisions, and staff built strong personal relationships.
- Responsive?
- Outstanding
- Care was highly personalised and flexible. People could choose their routines, meals and activities, and the home supported hobbies, family links, community contact and communication needs.
- Well-led?
- Outstanding
- Inspectors found exceptional leadership, a strong values-based culture and motivated staff. Quality checks, staff development and learning from incidents were used to improve care.
What inspectors found, January 2023
Rated Outstanding; inspectors found exceptionally caring, responsive and well-led care, with some medicine system and record-keeping issues to monitor.
Inspectors visited without notice on 15 and 22 November 2022. They spoke with 8 people, 6 relatives, 11 staff and other professionals. They reviewed care records, medicines records, staff files, complaints, incidents and quality checks.
The home was rated Outstanding overall. Caring, Responsive and Well-led were Outstanding. Safe and Effective were Good. Inspectors found enough staff, safe medicines practice, good infection control, skilled staff and care that was tailored to people's needs.
People and relatives described kind and respectful care. Inspectors saw staff taking time to build relationships, support personal choices, involve families and provide meaningful activities. They also found that the home used feedback and learning to improve.
There were two points to keep under review. Parts of the electronic medicines system were still being developed and had missed errors found through audits. The home had also acted after some accidents where records had not been complete.
Kind and respectful care
People were treated as individuals and staff took time to listen, talk and provide emotional support. Inspectors saw a warm and compassionate atmosphere.
“Throughout the inspection there was an exceptionally caring, relaxed, happy atmosphere.” from the report
Personal choice
People could choose when and where they received support and meals. Staff knew people's preferences and helped them remain independent.
“The service kept routines to a minimum. People chose when and how to have support.” from the report
Meaningful activities
The home supported interests from people's earlier lives and offered group and one-to-one activities. It also helped people stay connected with families and the local community.
“The service went the extra mile to find out what people had done in the past and evaluated whether it could accommodate activities and made them happen.” from the report
Skilled staff
Staff received practical training based on people's needs, including dementia care. The home also supported staff to develop their careers.
“People received care from highly skilled staff who had received training based on people's needs.” from the report
Strong leadership
Inspectors found visible and approachable management, committed staff and effective systems for checking quality and improving the service.
“The provider and registered manager provided exceptional leadership and had developed a dedicated staff team who were committed to providing outstanding care.” from the report
Medicines system still developing
needs fixingMedicines were administered and recorded accurately, but the electronic system had not yet picked up some errors that audits had identified. Ask how these errors are now tracked and corrected.
“However, some parts of the system were still being developed and missing errors which the provider's auditing systems had identified.” from the report
Accident records
needs fixingThe home had identified shortfalls in records after accidents and provided staff supervision and learning. Families may wish to ask how complete recording is checked now.
“Reflective staff supervisions had been completed following shortfalls in records keeping where people had had accidents.” from the report
- 01What parts of the electronic medicines system were still being developed, and how are medicine errors now identified and followed up?
- 02How do you check that records are complete after an accident or near miss?
- 03How will you involve my relative and our family in care planning and decisions?
- 04Which activities could be adapted to match my relative's interests, communication needs and abilities?
- 05How will you keep us informed if my relative's health, medicines or care needs change?
This was an unannounced inspection covering all five key questions, including the premises, care and infection prevention and control arrangements. This explanation was written from the published report of 14 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. The report was longer than we could read in one go; the later sections may not be reflected.
Every inspection of Byron House Care Home
Each visit the CQC has published, newest first, back to the day the home was registered.
- January 2023Outstandingcurrent ratingSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: OutstandingResponsive: OutstandingWell-led: Outstanding
- February 2019
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 28 February 2019.
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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89 live-in carers within about an hour of Buckinghamshire
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 £1,300 a week. 79 can care for a couple. 13 years' experience on average.
“We can all fully relax around Nyarai and she feels like part of our family, which is no mean feat!”
“She was v competent and confident and we felt our mum was safe in her care. She supported us through a difficult time.”
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.