Eothen Residential Homes - Whitley Bay

People consistently told us they felt safe, happy and well supported by kind, compassionate staff who knew them well and treated them with dignity and respect. We observed warm and positive interactions throughout the home and found people were supported to maintain their independence, make choices and remain connected to their local community through a wide range of activities, community links and personalised opportunities. Staff worked closely with healthcare professionals and specialist organisations, to ensure people's changing health needs were met and equitable outcomes achieved.

The provider and staff demonstrated a strong commitment to evidence-based practice, research and innovation, with learning from national research programmes and partnerships actively used to improve people's experiences and quality of life. People were encouraged to participate in research projects, share their experiences and contribute to improvements within the organisation. Staff had also visited care services in the Netherlands to gain an understanding of the innovative models of care they used there. The registered manager was determining how the learning could be implemented.

The provider had made significant environmental improvements, including refurbishment works, enhanced communalspacesand improved access to outdoor areas. People,relativesand staff were positive about the quality of the environment,foodand activities available. The providerdemonstrateda strong commitment to learning,innovationand continuous improvement through research partnerships, participation in nationalstudiesand adopting learning into practice. Staff were well trained,supportedandgenerally describeda positive culture with approachable leaders who promoted teamwork and shared values.

People, relatives and staff were overwhelmingly positive about the leadership, culture and environment. The management team promoted a person-centred, inclusive and compassionate culture where people were encouraged to share feedback and influence the development of the service.

However, we identified areas where improvement was needed. For 20 years the provider has used the same staffing model, which does not follow the recommended staffing levels on their dependency tool. Whilst people told us they felt safe and call bell records indicated timely responses. The provider could not fully explain or show how the current levels at night ensured staff could effectively attend to more than 2 people, meet other people’s needs whilst supporting individuals who needed 2 staff, ensure risk was managed, deal with emergencies, and complete the assigned domestic tasks. The provider undertook to review and resolve this matter.

People were not always given opportunities to socialise, relax, enjoy and have flexibility during the evenings. Staff were working to structured routines which were ‘task focused’ rather than person centred. Staff undertook various domestic duties during evening hours which meant they were not always available for more relaxed time with people, where they could enjoy evening activities. Our conversations showed people felt there was a definite ‘bedtime’ and this did not promote person centred care. We raised this with the registered manager who undertook to ensure activities were provided in the evenings.

The governance systems had not consistently identified concerns relating to overnight staffing arrangements, environmental risks, risk assessment documentation and Mental Capacity Act recording. The management team responded positively to feedback and took prompt action to address concerns raised during the assessment.

Overall, staff continued to provide good-quality, person-centred care supported by a positive culture of learning, partnership working and innovation, with managers committed to continuous improvement and achieving positive outcomes for people.