The Briardene Care Home in Billingham, Cleveland care home has been rated outstanding by the CQC.
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) visited the service unannounced inspection on 10 & 14 January 2019.
Briardeneprovides care for people with complex needs associated with dementia.
The CQC awarded the care home as outstanding in the caring, responsive, effective and well-led aspects of the report and good for being safe.
The service was very forward thinking and proactive in their approach to people's health and wellbeing. Inspectors witnessed several exceptionally effective interventions that had resulted in very positive outcomes for people.
A full-time holistic therapist was employed at the service and the provision of holistic therapy had made a significant difference to the health and wellbeing of people living there. One relative told inspectors how the therapist had accompanied their family member to a dental appointment. The relative had been anxious that the person would be agitated and refuse treatment by clamping their mouth shut. They said that the therapist just knelt by their family member's side. They massaged his hand and spoke softly to him throughout the whole procedure and he relaxed, opened his mouth and the dentist was able to do everything they needed without any upset.
The CQC received feedback from the dentist confirming this that stated, "When some treatment was performed on a client with a progressive neurological disorder, with the gentle coaxing and the use of Reiki before the visit to settle him, the client was cooperative and comfortably responded to the dentist's requests. It was lovely to see how the patient was talked to with respect and such kindness. It was a pleasure to have holistic therapist assist."
Inspectors observed staff being extremely kind, friendly and patient. They knew the people they supported very well and chatted whilst providing support. Throughout the inspection staff behaved in a way that demonstrated a genuine affection towards residents. Staff adapted the way they interacted depending on the person they were supporting; being lively and jovial with some people and very calm and quiet with others. They were very responsive to people, reading body language and responding accordingly to minimise any distress.
A member of staff commented, "We know our residents. If their speech isn't good, we know just by looking at them when they want something. It is the little things.”
Without exception staff and management worked in a way that put the needs of people living at Briardene first. Care plans were written in an extremely sensitive and thoughtful way that reflected people's life history, their likes and dislikes in detail.
The provider and management team worked closely together to ensure that people's needs were met to the highest of standards. Their forward thinking and proactive approach had led to the recruitment of a strong team of therapists and activities staff who were able to enhance people's daily life. Their willingness to try new ways of working had also resulted in the service's involvement in a successful pilot project that had seen a significant reduction in falls for those participating. By ensuring there was an excellent ratio of staff to people using the service they were able to support people to access the community whenever they wished to or simply spend extra time sitting and talking to people. Because the registered manager gave staff the freedom and autonomy to be creative in the way they approached their work inspectors could see staff were developing new and innovative ways of supporting people.