Response to media coverage today – Brackenley Care Home

Following media coverage today about our inspection report on Brackenley Care Home in Yorkshire which highlighted how managers and staff were addressing people using care services there, we have issued the following response:

CQC’s Deputy Chief Inspector of Adult Social Care for the North Region, Debbie Westhead, said:

“There is absolutely nothing wrong about care home managers and staff using affectionate terms of endearment to address people in their care.

“We recognise and welcome this is part of the compassionate and person-centred care approach that we expect providers to deliver and that people simply deserve.

“But what is most important is that people, and their families, are happy and comfortable with all aspects of their care, and whose individual wishes and preferences are always understood and responded to appropriately.

“We did receive some concerns from relatives about the care of their loved ones before we visited Brackenley care home. Listening and responding to concerns when they are raised with us in this way – together with looking at people’s individual care plans and observing interactions during an inspection – is a key part of our job. We want to be reassured that people’s personal needs are being supported.

“Whilst we found many positive aspects in the way that care is being delivered here, we did identify that not all staff in the home were sufficiently responsive to meeting people’s individual needs, along with other areas for improvement.

“I welcome the provider’s positive response to our inspection approach that allows us to really get under the skin of adult social care services better than ever before.”

Read more about CQC’s latest inspection findings at Brackenley Care Home.