Thistley Lodge

Staff said the registered manager and nurse were visible, approachable and supportive. Staff said changes over the last few months were for the better. Staff felt they worked better as a team which helped ensure people received the physical and emotional support they needed. The registered manager was working with other organisations and healthcare professionals to improve outcomes for people.

The provider used agency staff to support their own staff whilst recruitment continued. Staff said agency use was limited and the provider used the same agency staff for consistency which helped people feel more relaxed with those staff providing their care.

There were sufficient numbers of care staff on duty to keep people safe from risks of harm. The nurse used staff dependency tools to ensure staffing levels continued to meet people's needs. The registered manager and deputy manager could support staff on the floor if emergencies happened.

Staff training had improved since our last visit. Some staff had completed training and further training sessions were planned to ensure staff's skills and knowledge continued to be refreshed. Staff understood their roles and responsibilities, such as safeguarding people from poor practice. Staff told us they were confident to record poor care and if no action was taken, staff were more confident to refer onwards to safeguarding teams and to us.

People's dietary needs, preferences and nutritional needs were assessed and known by staff and when needed, people were referred to other professionals to support their healthcare needs. Some people had their food and fluid intake monitored and further improvements were needed to ensure those records were of value to determine next steps.

People received their medicines safely from trained and competent staff. Nurse staff completed regular checks on stocks, administration and storage to ensure medicines were given safely and as prescribed.

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.