Branch Court Care Home

The following is CQC's published account of its assessment, published 1 May 2025. References to “we” mean CQC. It describes findings at that time.

We completed an onsite assessment at Branch Court Care Home on 19 and 20 February 2025. The service is a residential care service providing support to older people and younger adults who may be living with dementia or have physical disabilities.

We found 2 breaches of the legal regulations in relation to good governance and staffing. The breach of good governance is a continued breach from our last inspection. Although some concerns identified during this assessment appear similar to those identified during our previous inspection under a regulation 12 breach, we found no impact. Therefore we have made the decision to close the previous regulation 12 breach of safe care and treatment and address the relevant issues under an existing regulation 17 breach of good governance.

Staff understood and managed risks, though paperwork relating to risks needed to be improved. The service made sure medicines were administered to safely meet people’s individual needs, but medicines storage was not effectively monitored and audited. There were enough staff on duty, though staff training and supervision needed to be improved to ensure high-quality care was being delivered. The service had a good learning culture and people could raise concerns. Managers investigated incidents. People were protected and kept safe. The facilities and equipment met the needs of people, were clean and well-maintained.

People were involved in assessments of their needs. Staff reviewed assessments taking account of people’s communication, personal and health needs. Care was based on latest evidence and good practice. People had enough to eat and drink to stay healthy. Staff worked with all agencies involved in people’s care for the best outcomes and smooth transitions when moving services. They monitored people’s health to support healthy living. Staff made sure people understood their care and treatment to enable them to give informed consent. Staff involved those important to people and made decisions in people’s best interests where they did not have capacity.

People were treated with kindness and compassion. Staff protected their privacy and dignity. They treated them as individuals and supported their preferences. People had choice in their care and were encouraged to maintain relationships with family and friends, though we did find further work was needed to improve activities in the home. Staff responded to people in a timely way. The service supported staff wellbeing.

People received person centred care and were involved in decisions about their care. The service provided information people could understand. People knew how to give feedback and were confident the service took it seriously and acted on it. The service was easy to access. People received fair and equal care and treatment. The service worked to reduce health and care inequalities. People were involved in planning their care and understood their options.

Leaders were visible, knowledgeable and supportive, though we found whilst the registered manager was aware of some of the issues we identified during the assessment, these had not always been actioned. Governance structures were in place, though these did not always identify or resolve the issues we found during our assessment. Leaders and staff had a shared vision and culture based on listening, learning and trust. Staff felt supported to give feedback and were treated equally, free from bullying or harassment. People’s protected characteristics were supported. Staff understood their roles and responsibilities. Managers worked with the local community to deliver the best possible care and were receptive to new ideas. There was a culture of continuous improvement with staff given time and resources to try new ideas.

We have asked the provider for an action plan in response to the concerns found at this assessment.