Church Farm at Rusticus

People were not always protected from avoidable harm. People were given medicines covertly by staff who did not have appropriate guidance or support. Incidents and accidents were not always recorded with the appropriate authorities in a timely manner and people and relatives told us they were not always involved in the assessment or planning of their care. However, people said they were supported by a consistent team of staff members in a safe and welcoming environment.

People were not always supported effectively. Care plans did not always reflect people’s needs and choices. Where risks had been identified, care plans did not contain clear guidance for staff on how to support people to manage or mitigate those risks. However, external partners who worked with the service stated the registered manager was responsive to feedback and implemented their recommendations accordingly.

People were supported by kind and compassionate staff. People commented that staff could appear rushed, but they felt safe and well supported. We observed positive interactions between people and staff who encouraged and promoted people’s dignity and privacy. Staff stated they received a comprehensive training package from the provider and their needs were regularly discussed at team meetings.

People received responsive care. Most people stated staff were responsive to their needs but there was a noticeable difference to this at weekends. People said they knew how to raise concerns or complaints and were confident these would be acted upon. Where concerns had been reported we saw these had been actioned appropriately.

The home was not always well led. Quality management audits used had identified some of the issues we found on assessment, but limited action had been taken to rectify the issues. Staff raised concerns about the culture within the home. The registered manager was working to alter the culture to one of trust and safety by fostering open and honest communication with people and staff but acknowledged this would take time to embed.