Peacemills Care Home

Safety risks to people were not always managed well. Risks were not always documented accurately, and staff did not always follow best practice guidance. People were not always equipped with the tools to call for support. Areas of the home required attention to ensure they were safe. An action plan was in place to ensure improvements to the safety of the environment were made. There were enough staff on duty to support people safely however the deployment of staff meant there were periods of time where people with a cognitive impairment who could not anticipate risks, or their needs were left alone. Staff received support through supervision and appraisal to support their continuous learning and improve their working practice. Managers made sure recruitment checks were undertaken on all staff to ensure only those individuals that were deemed suitable and fit, would be employed to support people at the service.

Staff understood their duty to protect people from abuse and knew how and when to report any concerns they had to managers. When concerns had been raised, managers reported these promptly to the relevant agencies and worked proactively with them, to make sure timely action was taken to safeguard people from further risk. The home was clean and tidy, and staff were confident in infection and prevention control systems in place.

People’s care plans were not always kept up to date with assessments not always completed in a timely manner. People’s care and treatment was not always effective as their needs were not always accurately assessed with them. Best practice guidance was inconsistently implemented. Staff and managers did not always implement and deliver evidence-based care. Staff were aware of people’s preferences and ensured when people required support with their health needs, relevant referrals were made.

People were treated with kindness and compassion. However, some of our observations meant people received an inconsistent approach to preserving their dignity. People were encouraged to do as much as they could for themselves to maintain their independence. People were supported by staff who knew them well and treated them as an individual. People and their relatives told us staff were kind and caring and provided support in line with their wishes. Staff were supported which enabled them to carry out their roles positively.

People gave mixed feedback in regard to the responsiveness of the service when concerns were raised. People were supported to live in a safe, inclusive environment however we observed limited social engagement which meant there were missed opportunities to strengthen person-centred care at Peacemills. People were supported to gain access to advocacy services where needed to ensure they were fully knowledgeable in the care and support they were entitled to.

Governance arrangements in place were not always effective which meant there were missed opportunities to drive service improvement. The management team and provider had had clear oversight of the service however more timely action was needed in some areas to ensure the safety and quality of the service were maintained. The management team were open and honest and were receptive to feedback which ensured there was a positive culture. Managers promoted equality and diversity which meant Peacemills was a happy place to work and live. The registered manager was aware of the regulatory requirements and submitted notifications as required.