Poplars Nursing and Residential Care Home

On this page

• Overview
• Learning culture
• Safe systems, pathways and transitions
• Safeguarding
• Involving people to manage risks
• Safe environments
• Safe and effective staffing
• Infection prevention and control
• Medicines optimisation

People’s risks were managed safely. However, we did identify the need for some improvements in documenting sufficient information about people’s health risks in care plans. Staff told us they were able to meet people’s needs and manage risks safely. People gave mixed feedback about how they were involved to manage risk. There were effective systems in place to ensure the environment was kept safe. People told us the home environment was safe and clean. Staff told us the environment was safe. We observed some risks within the home environment however these did not impact on people’s safety. There were enough suitably trained staff who knew how to meet people’s needs. We received mixed feedback from people about how staff cared for them

This service scored 75 (out of 100) for this area. Find out what we look at when we assess this area and How we calculate these scores.

We did not look at Learning culture during this assessment. The score for this quality statement is based on the previous rating for Safe.

We did not look at Safe systems, pathways and transitions during this assessment. The score for this quality statement is based on the previous rating for Safe.

We did not look at Safeguarding during this assessment. The score for this quality statement is based on the previous rating for Safe.

People gave mixed feedback about how they were involved to manage risk. One person told us, “The care is very good. I am unable to stand independently so staff support me to move with the hoist. The hoist is always available, staff ask me if I’m OK and support me to move me safely. Staff also support me to move to help with my skin condition.” One relative told us, “Staff do not always support my relative to maintain some mobility and we are now looking into getting physio support.” Another relative told us, “[My relative] used to have falls but hasn’t had any falls since living here. The care home ring me if there are any problems.” People gave mixed feedback about how staff respond to call bells. One person told us, “I have been shown how to use my buzzer and staff come quickly when I press it.” Another person told us, Staff take my buzzer off me and put it on the chest of drawers where I cannot reach.”

Staff told us they were able to meet people’s needs and manage risks safely. One staff member told us, “One person we support requires support with their pressure areas. The skin is improving with the care we provide alongside the district nurses. Care workers follow their care plan and district nurses visit every 3 days to change their dressings. Prescribed creams are applied by care staff when required.” Another staff member told us, “If somebody has a fall, I press the emergency buzzer and I reassure the person while waiting for a nurse to arrive. Nurses will examine the person and I then record the circumstances of the fall.” Kitchen staff told us people’s modified diets were recorded and accessible in the kitchen and in people’s care plans. One kitchen staff member told us, where required, people’s thickeners are secured in locked boxes to keep them safe. We provide specific foods for people with diabetes and provide alternative options. Staff told us they had received training to meet people’s needs and risks, were updated about people’s risks in daily handovers and they were able to raise any issues about people in 1-1 meetings with the manager and team meetings.

Staff supported people to manage their risks. Where people had swallowing risks, we observed staff supported them in line with their care plan. Where people were at high risk from falls, sensor mats were in place. People were supported to transfer safely using mobility equipment where required.

People’s risks were managed safely. However, we did identify the need for some improvements in documenting sufficient information about people’s health risks in care plans. For example, where people had risks in relation to diabetes, stoma care and oxygen equipment, care plans lacked detail about how to identify concerns and who was responsible for managing specific care tasks. When we discussed this with the registered manager, they put a plan in place to make improvements. Where people had been identified as at high risk in relation to falls, nutrition and skin, monitoring charts were in place as required and any concerns were shared with the relevant health agencies. For example, where a person was identified as having lost a significant amount of weight, a referral was made to the dietician who prescribed food supplements. Where a person had developed a pressure sore, a referral was made to the tissue viability team who put a plan in place to improve the person’s skin and care staff followed their recommendations to support with repositioning and applying skin creams. Where people had swallowing needs, people were referred to the Speech and Language Team (SALT), care plans were updated to include recommendations and staff followed them. People’s risks were reviewed and staff were updated about their risks in handovers which took place regularly throughout the day. Incidents and accidents were recorded, investigated and lessons were learned. The provider analysed themes and trends from falls and deployed staff in areas of the building where people were most at risk from falls. People had Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans (PEEPS) in place to guide staff how to evacuate people safely in the event of an emergency.

People told us the home environment was safe and clean. One person told us, “My room is very clean. There is a maintenance staff member who gets jobs done when needed.” Another person told us, “A cleaner comes in daily and my room is nice and clean.”

Staff told us the environment was safe. One member of maintenance staff told us, “Management are responsive to requests for repairs or replacement items and we work with electricians, builders, plumbers and gardeners when needed. We maintain a supply of key items such as sensor mats and replace call bells when needed.” One staff member told us, “We make sure sensor mats are in the correct position for people’s mobility risks. Harmful substances are kept in locked cupboards and management deal with things when we let them know about issues with the care home environment.” The registered manager told us there was an improvement plan in place to update some aspects of the building such as bathrooms.

We observed some risks within the home environment however these did not impact on people’s safety. For example, we observed a drinks trolly, used to promote hydration, was left unattended. Although people living in the specific area of the building were not at risk from swallowing fluids, when we told the registered manager about this, they put a plan in place to ensure there was a risk assessment for drinks trolleys. We observed a fire door entrance to a person’s room was not closing correctly. However, when we told the registered manager about this, it was addressed straight away. Substances harmful to health were stored securely in locked storage rooms. Radiators were covered to reduce the risks or burns.

There were effective systems in place to ensure the environment was kept safe. Routine testing took place for fire alarms and evacuation procedures. Environmental risk assessments were in place such as fire safety, gas safety and water safety. These were up to date and where there were issues identified, these had been addressed or there was a plan in place to address them. Environmental audits took place to monitor the safety of moving and handling equipment, mattresses, electrical items, kitchen items, window restrictors and call bells. The provider monitored response times of call bells to ensure care was delivered to people in a timely way. People were able to move safely around the environment. There were grab rails and specialist equipment available to support people who needed these. People were provided with specialist beds, hoists, and other equipment. There were coded doors to help restrict access to stairways.

We received mixed feedback from people about how staff cared for them. One person told us, “There are a lot of different staff but they know how to help me.” Another person told us, “There are enough staff.” Another person told us, “I have a specific health need that not all staff know about and I have to show them what to do.” One relative told us, “I have seen staff training sessions on using mobility equipment but I think staff could do with some more training on dignity and respect.”

There were enough suitably trained staff who knew how to meet people’s needs. The provider used a dependency tool to calculate the numbers of staff they needed. We observed there were enough staff to meet people’s needs. The provider deployed staff evenly across both floors of the building and operated a ‘butterfly’ system which meant staff could be moved to specific areas to meet people’s risks. We observed staff meeting the needs of people in line with their care plans.

We did not look at Infection prevention and control during this assessment. The score for this quality statement is based on the previous rating for Safe.

We did not look at Medicines optimisation during this assessment. The score for this quality statement is based on the previous rating for Safe.