CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at The Brambles Care Home
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
- Safe?
- Good
- People were safe and staff understood how to protect them from harm. Medicines, risk assessments, staffing, infection control and accident reporting were found to be managed safely.
- Effective?
- Good
- Staff had the skills and training to meet people's needs. People's food, drinks, healthcare, moving and handling, and legal rights were supported.
- Caring?
- Good
- Staff were kind, knew people well, and respected their privacy, dignity, equality and independence. People and families were involved in care planning.
- Responsive?
- Good
- Care plans reflected people's individual needs and preferences. People could take part in activities, keep in touch with relatives and raise complaints.
- Well-led?
- Good
- The manager and provider had introduced audits, staff checks and regular supervision. Staff, people and relatives described management as approachable and supportive.
What inspectors found, December 2019
Rated Good; inspectors found safe, kind and personalised care, with clear improvements since the previous inspection.
Inspectors visited unannounced on 4 December 2019. They spoke with four people, two relatives and seven staff. They observed care and reviewed care plans, medicines records, recruitment files and management records.
All five areas were rated Good: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. People were described as safe, well supported and treated with kindness and respect. Staff knew people's needs, medicines were managed safely, and the home was clean.
The previous inspection, published in May 2019, rated the home Requires Improvement and found multiple breaches. At this inspection, inspectors found that improvements had been made and that the home was no longer in breach of regulations.
Safe medicines
Medicines were stored and administered safely. Records showed that people received medicines as prescribed, including medicines given when needed.
“Peoples' medicines were managed safely. Processes were in place for the timely ordering and supply of medicines.” from the report
Kind and respectful staff
Inspectors saw warm relationships between staff and people. Staff respected privacy and encouraged people to remain independent.
“We found people's equality and diversity needs were respected and staff received training in equality and diversity” from the report
Personalised support
Care plans described what mattered to each person and the support they needed. The home supported religious, communication and end of life preferences.
“People had a person-centred care plan in place which detailed what was important to them and showed the support they needed.” from the report
Activities and family involvement
People were supported to join activities and trips. Relatives could visit freely and were invited to take part in trips.
“The provider looked at different ways of getting people together to help reduce social isolation” from the report
Improved management
The provider had acted on problems found at the previous inspection. Audits, staff checks, supervision and incident reviews were being used to improve care.
“At this inspection we found improvements had been made and the provider was no longer in breach of regulations.” from the report
Previous serious shortfalls
needs fixingThe previous inspection found problems with medicines, risk assessments, safeguarding notifications and quality monitoring. These were reported as fixed by this inspection, but families may want to check that the improvements have lasted.
“The last rating for this service was requires improvement (published 01 May 2019) there were multiple breaches of regulation.” from the report
Further oral health training
minorA new oral health assessment had been introduced, but further staff training was still being considered. Families may wish to ask whether this training has since been completed.
“The registered manager was looking at further training in this area to upskill staff knowledge.” from the report
- 01What checks are now used to make sure the improvements to medicines and risk assessments have been maintained?
- 02Has the further oral health training mentioned in the report been completed?
- 03How do you review accidents, incidents and falls, and what changes have been made as a result?
- 04How are people's individual preferences, communication needs and end of life wishes kept up to date?
- 05How can relatives raise concerns, and how are complaints recorded and responded to?
This was a planned, unannounced inspection of the care home covering all five CQC questions; the previous Requires Improvement ratings and breaches were reviewed as part of the inspection. This explanation was written from the published report of 20 December 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 The Brambles Care Home
Each visit the CQC has published, newest first, back to the day the home was registered.
- December 2019Goodcurrent ratingSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- May 2018
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 11 May 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
How to read CQC ratings and reports
What to check when you visit
At least 100 live-in carers within about an hour of Dudley
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 £1,230 a week. 88 can care for a couple. 10 years' experience on average.
“I have never met a person who is so kind and thinks about others before himself to such an extent as Chris Malagala.”
“Knowing Mum was in Corina's care made an enormous difference to us and we knew she was in safe hands.”
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.