Bracken Lodge

At the last inspection, the service was rated Good.

At this inspection we found the service remained Good but we found the service had improved since our last inspection and we have rated Bracken Lodge 'Outstanding' in the Caring domain.

Why the service is rated Good

Staff provided an exceptionally caring service to people. People lived in an inclusive and homely environment in which they were empowered and given ownership over their care. The provider had an attention to detail when it came to involving people and creating strong bonds between people, relatives and staff. Relatives and healthcare professionals emphasised how homely the environment was and the caring nature of staff. People were supported by kind staff who knew them well and routinely advocated for them. Staff were dedicated to the people that they supported and were passionate about finding ways to make people happy and improve their lives. Staff respected people's privacy and dignity when providing care.

Staff managed risks to people safely whilst promoting their independence. Where incidents had occurred, the provider took appropriate action to keep people safe. Staff understood how to identify and respond to suspected abuse. People lived in an environment in which the risk of infection spreading was appropriately managed.

People were supported to prepare and eat food that they liked in line with their dietary needs. Staff had sufficient training to carry out their roles and had regular meetings with their line managers. People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice. People's needs and choices were assessed and people were involved in important decisions and choices. Staff worked alongside healthcare professionals and other organisations to meet people's needs.

People received personalised care that reflected their needs, interests and preferences. People had access to activities that reflected what was important to them. Regular reviews were undertaken and any changes to people's needs were actioned by staff. The provider had a clear and accessible complaints procedure and

The registered manager worked alongside staff and was actively involved in people's care. Systems were in place to involve people and staff in the running of the home. The provider carried out checks on the quality

of the care that people received and maintained up to date records. The provider built links with organisations and agencies to ensure that people benefitted from.

Further information is in the detailed findings below

The five questions we ask about services and what we found