Care for Veterans

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice. Before people came to live at the home, they met with a member of the management team to discuss the type of support they required, and whether their needs could be met. People were supported by a range of health and social care professionals, including a team of therapists directly employed by the home. People's special dietary needs were assessed and catered for. One person said they had access to food and drink outside mealtimes and explained, "You can help yourself to fruit in the dining room. You can go along and help yourself". There were gardens and outside spaces which people could access. One person said, "I've been out in the garden. It's nice to see the squirrels".

People were looked after by kind, patient and caring staff who knew them well. One person said, "Staff are kind and caring, always, everybody". People were treated with dignity and respect and their independence was encouraged. Some people were part of a rehabilitation programme and had access to a range of therapies, to promote their independence.

Care was personalised to meet people's needs. Activities were organised, although these had been limited at the time of the inspection, due to an outbreak of COVID-19 at the home. Normally people had access to a wellbeing hub which offered a range of activities to suit people's interests. Complaints were dealt with in line with the provider's policy. If it was their wish, people could spend the rest of their lives at the home.

People knew the management team and could participate in residents' meetings where various topics were discussed, such as the quality of food on offer. One person said, "Senior staff come round and chat with me". Another person told us, "It's nice. I can go to staff with anything". A system of audits had been implemented to drive improvement.

For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk