25 April 2014
During a routine inspection
Below is a summary of what we found. The summary is based on our observations during the inspection, speaking with people using the service, the staff supporting them and from looking at records.
Is the service safe?
The staff on duty had good understanding of how to meet the needs of people who used the service. We saw that people were relaxed and comfortable in the presence of staff.
Staff received regular training and support which helped them to provide safe care. Staff training included the safeguarding of vulnerable adults. Staff knew who they should contact, should they have any concerns about the treatment of people who used the service.
Risk assessments were in place which identified any specific risks for people who used the service. People and staff were involved in fire drill training so they knew what to do if there was a fire in at the service. Health and safety checks were carried out to make sure the premises were safe for people using the service.
Is the service effective?
People's health and care needs were assessed and plans of care were put in place to meet their needs. Information about how people communicated their needs and wishes were clearly identified in care plans which helped ensure that all staff were able to provide appropriate care.
People's health and care needs had been assessed and care plans were in place. There was evidence of people being involved in assessments of their needs and planning their care. People told us that they were happy with the care they received. Staff had received the information, training and support they needed to meet people's needs effectively.
One person using the service told us, 'Staff have skills and they do lots of training'. They told us that there were enough staff to look after them and they always did their activities.
Is the service caring?
People were treated with dignity and respect by the staff. We saw staff approached people who used the service in a caring manner. People's preferences, interests, and needs had been recorded and care and support had been provided accordingly.
All the people we spoke with told us that the staff were very 'nice' and they would speak to them if they had any concerns and they would listen. One person told us that they had one to one keyworker sessions and said, 'I have got a really good keyworker and she understands about how I feel and I get on well with her'. Another person told us, 'They do look after me well' and wanted to give them a certificate for being good at supporting them.
We saw staff interact with people in a kind, and good humoured approach. They encouraged people to engage in activities and spoke with them in a kind and respectful manner. The staffs told us that they enjoyed working with the people and they had staff meetings about how to help people using the service achieve their goals. We saw staff supported people to maintain contact with families and friends.
Is the service responsive?
We saw that staff were available to support people who used the service. One person told us that they had meetings with their keyworkers and they listened and supported them to meet their needs. Another person told us that they discussed activities, menus and any issues that they were not happy with at the service. They told us that the staff listened to them and acted on their feedback.
Is the service well-led?
We found that the service was well managed and systems were in place to identify and make improvements where necessary. Staff received regular training and support from the manager which helped them to provide safe and effective care.
The provider had monitoring systems in place to ensure that medication administration records were fully completed. Staff training records and people's care plans were updated to meet their current needs. We saw that health and safety checks were also undertaken regularly to ensure all systems were up to date and kept people safe.