Emmanuel House Care Home

There was evidence of kind and compassionate care from staff who knew people well and understood their individual needs and preferences. People, relatives and staff frequently spoke positively about the caring culture within the home. Care records reviewed showed detailed guidance for many people, including information about mobility, nutrition, behavioural support, falls prevention and end of life wishes. Staff worked with healthcare professionals when people’s needs changed, and we saw examples of referrals being made to specialist services. However, people's independence and choice were restricted by the environment. There was insufficient suitable seating available to meet people's needs, meaning people were not always able to choose where they spent their time within the home. This was a breach of Regulation 15, Premises and equipment.

We identified a number of concerns relating to safety, staffing, oversight and the environment. Environmental observations identified poor maintenance and infection prevention issues. Concerns about staffing levels were consistently raised by people, relatives and staff. During the inspection we observed periods with limited staff presence in communal areas and received mixed feedback regarding call bell response times and timely support.

Medicines management was organised and staff demonstrated safe practices. However, the provider’s governance systems had not always identified or acted upon environmental, safeguarding and regulatory concerns in a timely manner. Records showed some safeguarding incidents had not been appropriately reflected within notification systems. Monitoring arrangements for Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) conditions and wider quality assurance processes required strengthening.

Despite these concerns, the registered and deputy manager were described as approachable and supportive. Overall, people experienced caring support from committed staff, but improvements were needed to ensure governance, staffing, safety and environmental systems consistently protected people and promoted positive outcomes.