We carried out this unannounced inspection on 8 February 2012 and spent five hours at the home. We spoke with nine people who currently live at the home and also spent some time observing how care and support was delivered throughout different times of the day. We spoke with four members of staff and the registered manager. We also looked at some key documents including care plans, medication records and risk assessments. This helps to understand how well peoples' care is managed.People we spoke with, who were able to make their opinions known, were very positive about the care and support they received. Comments included 'It's alright here, I cannot complain', 'Don't think they can do any better, the staff are all very good' and 'Staff are very good, but sometimes you have to wait a long time for call bells to be answered, they get very busy.'
We saw that care and support was delivered in a kind and respectful way. Staff were observed to gain consent from people before using moving and handling equipment and gave good reassurance and information so the individual knew what was happening.
Lunchtime was unhurried and relaxed, with those people who needed assistance given support at a pace that suited them. People were offered a choice of where they wanted to eat their meals and a choice of what was available on the menu.
We saw that care and treatment was planned in a way that the person wished if they had a preferred routine and/or could say how they wanted their needs met. Risks had been identified, reviewed and measures put in place to ensure that future risks were minimised. For example we saw that one person had had series of falls and measures were put in place to make their bedroom as safe as possible to prevent falls against any sharp edges.
Staff we spoke with during this inspection said in their view they were given the support and training needed to do their job effectively. They were able to demonstrate a good understanding of the needs of the people currently living at the home and were observed to provide care and support in a professional manner.
We saw that some improvements were needed to ensure that the management of medicines were fully robust to help protect people. We also found that the quality assurance processes needed to be recorded and evaluated so that the home can demonstrate that they have reviewed the quality of care using the audits they have completed.