Chiswell Residential Home

People's medicines were managed safely. The provider undertook assessments of staff practice to satisfy themselves that staff were competent to safely administer medicines. The home was clean with no malodours. Staff had received infection control training and protective clothing including gloves and aprons was available to them. There was a process in place for reporting, recording and investigating any accidents and incidents.

People's needs and preferences had been individually assessed and were kept under constant review. People's relatives and external professionals told us the care and support provided met people's complex needs. The staff team were very experienced in providing care for this group of people. Some training had not been refreshed in a timely way which meant the staff team may not all be fully up to date with current practice in some areas. However, there was no evidence this had an impact on the quality of care provided to people. Staff felt fully supported by the provider and often worked alongside them providing care and support to people.

People enjoyed the home cooked food provided for them. People accessed healthcare services as needed. Specialist services were available to help guide staff on making positive changes in people's lives, including their mental health needs. 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.

People were supported by an established staff team who knew them well. Staff treated people with respect and dignity. People were fully involved in their care as much as they could be. The service operated as a family home and people's wishes were central to the provider's ethos. People's right to privacy and confidentiality was respected and integral to the ethos of the home.

People received care and support that was entirely flexible and responsive to their individual needs. People were encouraged and supported to be part of the local community they lived in. Opportunities for engagement were routinely brought into the home for people to enjoy. Relatives and other visitors were

welcomed into the home at any time. The provider had a policy and procedure to support people to raise complaints. The provider and staff team were very clear that Chiswell Residential Home was people's own home and they would be supported to stay in their own home should their health deteriorate.

The provider and staff team demonstrated a clear culture of ensuring people and their needs were a priority. Staff greatly enjoyed working at the home, they felt supported and involved. The provider was in day to day contact with the service and always available for staff should they need advice. Quality assurance processes were in place to help ensure the provider's standards were upheld. People, their relatives and external professionals were encouraged to give feedback about the way the service operated. The provider maintained their skills and knowledge and kept themselves up to date with changes in legislation and practice.