Victoria House

Updated 16 August 2024

Victoria House is a care home providing nursing and personal care for up to 68 people, including younger adults living with mental health needs and people living with dementia. The home provides care and support to people across two buildings. At the time of the inspection 68 people were living at the home. We carried out an onsite and offsite assessment. Activity started on 23 August and ended on 16 September 2024. We gathered information from people using the service, their relatives, the registered manager, deputy manager, clinical lead, nursing and senior care staff, care staff, auxiliary staff and health and social care professionals involved with the service. We looked at 10 quality statements. In May 2022 there was a significant fire at the service, which led to 2 units being out of operation. Staff at the time ensured no one came to harm. Recently the Fire Authority raised concerns the provider had not fully complied with enforcement notice issued about measures needed to improve fire safety throughout the service. We visited to check all aspects of the environment were being maintained in line with the requirements. We found work was in progress to meet the requirements were being made. The infection control team had visited and identified areas for improvement. The registered manager had ensured the identified actions were implemented. Maintenance staff understood the requirements of their role and completed all the necessary checks. People and relatives found staff treated them with dignity and kindness. Staff sought people’s views about how to support them and, when appropriate, relatives were included in discussions about the support being offered. The registered manager had developed a clear governance system and constantly looked at how to make improvements. They worked with staff to ensure they understood the governance processes and raised any identified gaps in practice in a timely manner.

Updated 16 August 2024

We spent time at the service on 3 separate occasions and most people we met shared their views. People told us they were happy at the home, staff provided care in a timely and responsive manner. One person said, “The staff are all brilliant and I don’t think I would be still around if not for them. My life is much better.” People discussed how they were made to feel integral to the service and important. They told us how staff had supported them to pursue productive activities such as voluntary work and ways to improve their independence by supporting them to obtain mobility scooters. Some individuals had very limited verbal communication skills, so we observed interactions between staff and people. We observed staff worked with people in a sensitive, caring and considerate manner. They encouraged people to be as independent as possible and really encouraged them to reach their full potential. All interactions were conducted in a positive manner. Relatives found the service met people’s needs and kept them safe. They found staff were competent, caring and treated people in a dignified manner. A relative said, “[Person’s name] has been a resident since for over 5 years. The care that is given is absolutely fantastic. The old-style building may appear off putting but it cannot be stated how little this matters. The support provided is not only the residents but also their families, which makes difficult circumstance a lot easier to deal with.” Another said, “I cannot speak any more highly about the amazing care that all of the staff provide. The nursing staff keep in regular contact updating on changes and involving me as much as they can in care planning. The care home is a very happy place.” Some relatives had been concerned the service was not particularly clean, which the registered manager had taken steps to address.