CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at St Brannocks
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
What inspectors found, May 2020
Rated Good in all five areas; inspectors found safe, kind and person-centred support for people with learning disabilities and autism.
This was a planned inspection on 13 March 2020. One inspector spoke with all four people living at the home and five staff members. They observed support in communal areas and reviewed care records, medicines records, recruitment and management records.
Inspectors found people were safe and supported by staff who understood their needs. Medicines were given as prescribed, risks were managed, and staff had the training and skills needed. People were supported to access healthcare, prepare food, make choices and develop their independence.
People described the home positively. Inspectors found staff were kind, respectful and responsive. Care plans were personal to each person, and people were supported to maintain family relationships, take part in activities and use communication methods that suited them.
The home was rated Good overall and Good in Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. This was the same overall rating as the previous inspection, published on 27 March 2017.
Safe support
Inspectors found that risks to people's health and safety were assessed and managed. Staff knew how to respond to safeguarding concerns and incidents were used to improve support.
“Risks to health and safety were well managed.” from the report
Kind relationships
People told inspectors they were happy and felt listened to. Staff provided emotional support and respected people's privacy, dignity and choices.
“Staff were kind and caring and offered people emotional support when this was needed.” from the report
Personalised care
Care plans described people's likes, dislikes, preferences and support goals. Staff knew people well and supported them in ways suited to their needs.
“Support plans continued to be person centred and contained detailed information about how people liked to be supported their likes, dislikes and preferences.” from the report
Independence and relationships
People were supported to cook, manage daily tasks, use the community and maintain contact with relatives. Staff helped people work towards personal goals.
“People were supported to maintain relationships with relatives, friends and people close to them.” from the report
Good oversight
The management team carried out regular checks on areas such as care plans, medicines, safety and infection control. Actions for improvement were recorded and monitored.
“The provider had an effective quality monitoring process in place to make sure people were receiving a safe and good quality service.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01How would you support my relative's specific communication needs, including any use of picture prompts, large print, signs or symbols?
- 02What support would my relative receive to manage or become more independent with their medicines?
- 03How would you support my relative to maintain relationships with family and take part in activities in the community?
- 04What progress has been made with the planned improvements to the summer house and the bathrooms?
- 05How would you assess whether my relative would be compatible with the people already living at the home?
This was a planned inspection that looked at all five CQC questions, including the care provided and the premises; all five ratings remained Good. This explanation was written from the published report of 1 May 2020 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 2017
St Brannocks: Rated Good; inspectors found safe, kind, person-centred care, with staff morale improved since the last inspection.
This was an unannounced, comprehensive inspection on 2 February 2017. One inspector spoke with all six people living at the home, staff, the manager and three family members. They also checked care records, medicines, staffing, training, risk assessments and quality checks.
The home was rated Good in all five areas: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. Inspectors found enough staff, safe medicines systems, suitable training and support, and appropriate help with health needs.
People were treated with kindness, dignity and respect. Care plans were individual and supported people's choices, activities and independence. The home remained Good, as it was at the previous inspection in August 2014. Staff morale and communication had improved after a change in leadership.
Staffing and safety
Staffing was planned around people's needs, activities and appointments. Inspectors found that risks, safeguarding concerns and medicines were managed through clear systems.
“There were enough staff members on shift to meet people's needs and keep them safe.” from the report
Personalised support
Care plans included people's wishes, abilities, health needs, communication guidance and goals. Activities were linked to individual interests and independence.
“Care plans gave staff an in-depth understanding of the person and were personalised to help staff to support the person in the way that they liked.” from the report
Improved leadership
Since the previous inspection, staff morale had improved. Staff said they felt supported and able to share their views openly.
“At this inspection we found that staff morale had improved; staff told us they felt well supported and able to openly communicate with the registered manager.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01How will you match staffing levels to my relative's appointments, activities and changing needs?
- 02How will you support my relative to take part in activities that match their interests and independence goals?
- 03How are medicines, including medicines prescribed to be taken when required, checked and reviewed?
- 04How will my relative and our family be involved in care plan reviews and decisions about their support?
- 05How can we raise a concern or complaint, and how will we be told what action was taken?
This was an unannounced comprehensive inspection covering all five questions, carried out by one inspector who spoke with all six people living at the home and reviewed care, staffing, medicines and quality records. This explanation was written from the published report of 28 March 2017 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 St Brannocks
3 rated inspections over 5 years: the service has held its Good rating throughout.
- May 2020Goodcurrent ratingstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- March 2017Goodstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- February 2015GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Requires improvement
- June 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- December 2012
Report published without a new overall rating.
- January 2012
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 30 January 2012.
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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39 live-in carers within about an hour of Kent
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. 33 can care for a couple. 12 years' experience on average.
“Always on time and with a lovely smile for my mum. Theresa is kind and sensitive to my mum's needs.”
“Irene was a very kind and empathetic carer who knew just the right words to say to put a smile on my face.”
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.