The Care Quality Commission

Archived: The Arches

Mounts Road, Greenhithe, Kent, DA9 9ND (01322) 370163

Provided and run by:
The Arches Residential Care Home Limited

Important: The provider of this service changed. See new profile

All Inspections

18 April 2013

During a routine inspection

The majority of people who used the service had dementia or other complex mental health needs which meant that they were not able to tell us their experiences of using the service; we therefore used our observations to help inform some of our judgements. People told us 'What we liked about the place when we first came to visit was the homely atmosphere', 'The food is good here', 'Staff are really nice' and 'I can bring my own things from home here'. People told us that an assessment of their relatives needs had been made but were unsure if their needs were reviewed regularly. They told us that their relative received a balanced diet but not enough to drink. Staff were said to be mostly caring but some could be quite brusque. We found that people who used the service did not experience care and support that met their needs. People's needs had been assessed, but where risks to a person's welfare had been identified these were not managed as shown by the records we reviewed. We found that people who used the service were provided with a choice of food and drink however, we observed that people were not always supported to be able to eat and drink sufficient amounts to meet their needs. We found that the registered manager and staff did not understand the processes involved for reporting identified or potential abuse to the relevant responsible authority and we found that staffing levels did not support the dependency levels of the people who used the service.

19 July 2012

During a routine inspection

We used different methods to help us understand the experiences of people who used the service. Most of the people who lived at the home had dementia needs, so were not always able to tell us directly about their experiences. Our observations demonstrated that staff treated people with kindness, respect and courtesy. We saw staff reassure people when they were distressed or concerned. We were able to speak with two out of the twenty one people who currently lived at the home. Their comments about the service were very positive. One person told us, "They leave me to do what I can, but they come quickly when I need them." Another person said, ' I feel safe here and they are kind.'

We spoke to some of the relatives of people using the service after our visit. People spoken with were very complimentary about The Arches. One relative told us, "The staff are wonderful and they always keep me involved and well informed." Another relative said, "The care is really good at the home and the staff are just lovely.' Some people spoken with said that although the home was welcoming and homely, the decor needed updating, and communal areas were beginning to look aged and tired.