Boulters Lock Residential Home

Boulters Lock Residential Home is a care home providing personal care to up to 32 people living with a range of needs including dementia. At the time of our inspection, 32 people were using the service.

At our last inspection in January 2020, we rated the service outstanding.

People received their medicines safely and as prescribed. Processes to help ensure that risks to people were assessed and mitigated were effective. The provider ensured there were enough qualified, skilled and experienced staff who received effective support, supervision and development. They worked well together to provide safe care which met people’s individual needs.

Staff had a good understanding of safeguarding processes and respected people’s wishes. Where people were unable to make their own decisions, they were supported in line with the principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005.

There were good systems to protect people from the risk of infection and cross contamination, and staff followed good practice. There were systems in place for the safe recruitment of staff. Overall, people were cared for by staff who were kind and caring and knew them well. The service was clean, fresh and well-maintained.

There was a wide range of activities available to people, all person-centred. People and their relatives were involved in their pre-admission assessment, care planning and the management of individual risks. Staff received regular training and had their competencies checked. Staff spoke favourably of the management team and felt listened to and consulted.

The staff were kind and caring. They treated people with dignity and respect. Care and support for people was personalised and tailored to their individual needs and preferences. There was exceptional support for people to maintain their independence and retain choice and control over their daily lives.

People had end-of-life care plans which detailed the care and support they wanted and needed to make them comfortable. Families were involved and supported in spending time with their loved ones during the last days of their lives.

The management team was passionate about meeting people’s needs and actively involving them in their care and the running of the service. The provider fostered a positive culture in which people felt they could speak up and have their voices heard. They had very efficient quality assurance systems in place to ensure oversight of the service. They used these to manage and deliver high-quality, sustainable care, treatment and support. They always acted on the best information about risk, performance and outcomes.

The provider understood and carried out their duty to collaborate and work in partnership, so services worked seamlessly for people. The provider encouraged creative ways of delivering equality of experience, outcomes and quality of life for people. Feedback from staff, relatives and external professionals confirmed the service was caring and extremely well-run.