Good CQC for Brooke House. Congratulations!
Staff at Brooke House care home, in Brooke, near Norwich, are celebrating their good Care Quality Commission report. The inspector who visited the Kingsley Healthcare run home on August 29 and September 7 found the service to be good overall and good in four out of five categories, judging it to be caring, responsive, effective and well-led. Home manager Hayley Hirst said: “This is a tribute to the dedication and enthusiasm of all my staff. We are passionate about providing the highest quality care and are delighted this has been recognised by the inspector.”
Residents and their families both praised the staff as “kind and caring”. One resident told the inspector: “They treat me with respect. They don’t know me yet but it’s nice to talk to them.” A family member said: “The staff are nice, kind and very patient. They give my relative time… I have never had any issue about the way I have heard staff speak with anyone.” The inspector noted that mealtime was a positive experience with staff helping people at their own pace. She said: “In the main dining room we observed that staff chatted with people during their meals. They used it as an opportunity to encourage reminiscence, talking to people about their holidays and places they had visited.”
The report notes that residents at Brooke House are supported to maintain contact with their friends and families and could have visitors at any time. One relative said: “I don’t tell them when I am coming. I just turn up. It isn’t a problem.” Residents, relatives and a health professional all told the inspector staff were trained and competent to meet their needs. “The best thing about this place is the staff,” said one family member. The report notes that members of the management team had completed University of Stirling best practice training for supporting people living with dementia. The inspector observed staff assisting residents to go out on walks and to take part in activities, with the home’s garden and raised flower beds being especially popular. Relatives praised family events held at the home, such as the summer barbecue.
The inspector praised the home’s leadership, commenting that staff understood their roles and the manager operated an open door policy enabling staff to share any concerns in confidence.
