Walshaw Hall

People told us they felt safe living at the service. Feedback from relatives confirmed they thought their loved ones were safe and individual needs were met by staff. A relative told us ‘I have peace of mind knowing that my relative is safe, I know I can rely on the staff’. We found that care plans appropriately documented risks and these were reviewed regularly. Staff were confident the manager would act on information and keep people safe. When speaking to staff, they were aware of people’s risks and how to manage them, including ensuring people received their medicines as prescribed. We received mixed feedback around staffing levels and some gaps in mandatory training. The newly appointed Registered Manager was aware of these concerns and was implementing new approaches at the time of the inspection.

Staff assessed people’s needs and we found these were reviewed regularly, following changes in needs, any incidents and hospital discharges, to ensure the best possible outcomes for their health and well-being. Effective systems were found to be in place to communicate any changes to people’s needs between staff members. We found staff supported people to access other health and social care services when needed, so people could live healthier lives. Throughout the site visit, the inspector observed staff supporting people in the least restrictive ways, asked for people’s consent and offered choices.

People told us they were supported to make choices and decisions and we observed staff listening to people and giving them time to respond. During our site visit, staff were observed being kind, caring and compassionate with people, with hospitality extended to relatives. People’s independence was promoted, and they chose how they spent their time. A good range of activities are on offer for people, with staff going the extra mile to make events and special occasions memorable.

People had their care and support needs assessed by experienced staff before moving into the home. This allowed their care to be shaped and personalised in a way that was meaningful to them. The service identified people’s cultural needs and ensured these were respected. Relatives told us they are asked for feedback about the service and can mention concerns at any time, with confidence they will be acted on by staff and management.

The service was not always well-led. We found that some mandatory training had not been completed by staff and not all staff had received regular supervisions. Improvements were being made by the new manager, including implementing new training systems, and oversight of staff. The service had the correct policies and procedures in place and had established good links with other health and social care services within the area. The majority of staff were positive about management support; however, some staff members did raise concerns about staffing levels, particularly for individuals with higher dependency needs. We found ancillary staff sometimes had been deployed at meal times due to staff shortages.