Dunster Lodge Residential Home

There was a new management team at the care home. They were open and approachable and committed to making improvements to the care and support people received. Although the new manager had only been in post for a short while, they had already started to make changes and identify where improvements could be made.

Staff were happy with the changes. Some new senior posts had been created to make sure there was better oversight of care and support provided. Staff felt valued and respected.

The manager and provider were visible in the home which led to an open culture where people and staff felt able to raise concerns.

On the first inspection visit we identified some issues with the environment which needed to be addressed promptly to ensure people’s safety. Some action was taken immediately, and other issues had been addressed by the second visit. Additional regular checks were put in place to make sure that any further issues were identified and addressed in a timely manner.

There were regular safety checks and audits to monitor quality. These were being enhanced to ensure they were able to drive improvements at the home. New audits had not been fully embedded at the time of the inspection visits so the effectiveness of these could not yet be assessed.

Risks of abuse to people were minimised because staff knew how to recognise and report any concerns.

People’s medicines were safely managed.

Staff knew people well and each person had a care plan which gave clear details about their needs, likes and dislikes.

Staff worked in partnership with people, their representatives and other professionals to ensure needs were addressed in a way which did not discriminate and ensured people had access to appropriate services.