27 June 2012
During a themed inspection looking at Dignity and Nutrition
The inspection team was led by a CQC inspector joined by an Expert by Experience (people who have experience of using services and who can provide that perspective). We talked with eight of the people who lived in the home and observed the care and support provided to others who were unable to communicate verbally with us. We used the Short Observational Framework for Inspection (SOFI). SOFI is a specific way of observing care to help us understand the experience of people who could not talk with us.
People who lived in the home told us that they were happy with the way they were looked after. We were told 'I am perfectly happy and if I have to be somewhere, I can't think of a better place' and 'You can't grumble everybody here is happy. I love sitting in my room and watching the birds in the garden'. One person who lived in the Acorn residential area for people with a dementia said 'I would like it to be a bit more homely, but staff treat me like a lady, they are all good souls'. People told us that the staff were good at meeting their health and welfare needs. We were told 'I have been happy here since day one, and have no complaints' and 'The staff are all lovely'.
The majority of people we talked with told us that they enjoyed the meals provided. One person said 'I have three good meals a day and the staff encourage me to eat the good nourishing food. I eat better than I did when I was at home'. Others told us 'I get plenty to eat and drink' and 'If I want anything I only have to ask. I've got no complaints'.
People who lived in the home told us they felt safe. They said they knew how to raise concerns and felt comfortable about doing so. One person said 'I would talk to the staff or the manager if I had any concerns and I'm sure they would do something about it'. Another person said 'I've never been treated badly myself and I've never seen anyone else treated badly'.
We spoke with three people's relatives who were visiting them on the day of our inspection. They told us they were included in decisions about their relative's care and were kept informed of changes in their relative's condition.