Bowerfield Court

This report from the Care Quality Commission (CQC) provides an overview of Bowerfield Court following an inspection in January 2023. The inspection focused on key areas to assess the quality of care provided. While the home has made some progress in certain aspects, there remain areas that require further attention to ensure consistent high standards. The report details findings related to safety, effectiveness, care, responsiveness, and leadership, offering insights for families considering this care home.

On safety, residents sometimes felt there were not enough staff available to assist them, and call bell response times could be long, impacting timely care like pressure relief. Recruitment records were not always easy to review to ensure all checks were completed. While medicine management generally improved, some records needed to be more complete, and there were instances of recorded drink thickening not being documented for safety. An external pest infestation was also being addressed.

Regarding how effective the care is, residents generally received care according to their preferences, and staff showed respect for their views. Care plans are being updated and an electronic system is planned, although some existing plans were lengthy or inconsistent, and review intervals varied. Communication needs were well captured with appropriate support resources available.

In terms of how caring the service is, residents generally felt safe and spoke positively about staff interactions. Staff completed safeguarding training and understood their roles. While some people preferred not to discuss end-of-life care, it was not always clear if these wishes were revisited.

The service demonstrated it is responsive, with residents feeling they had choice and their views were respected. A new activity worker has been recruited, bringing fresh ideas and engaging residents. Feedback indicated that people and relatives found the new management team approachable and that concerns were looked into.

Finally, on how well-led the service is, the new management team is actively working to address identified shortfalls, with suitable audits in place to highlight issues. People and staff spoke positively about the management team, feeling improvements were being made. However, leadership and oversight in certain areas, such as care planning and record-keeping, still require embedding. The home is clean and tidy with appropriate checks on equipment and the building.