Orsett House Retirement Home

People's experience of using this service: The feedback we received from people and their relatives was consistently good. People told us they were well cared for and safe and typical comments from relatives included, "This place has been life changing for my family" and "This place is absolutely marvellous….. and the staff are amazing." The service had used a quality improvement plan to drive a number of improvements since the last inspection. Managers had also introduced effective audits so that areas for improvement could be addressed on an ongoing basis.

People told us they felt safe and well looked after in the home. There were sufficient staff around to keep people safe and ensure their needs were met. Improvements had been made to the way medicines were managed and the environment was checked and maintained to ensure risks to people were reduced.

People told us how much they enjoyed the food and they had regular access to drinks and snacks throughout the day. People's capacity was now routinely assessed and their consent was obtained before care and support was given. People were supported in the least restrictive way possible.

The staff team were vigilant to people's health needs and now made prompt and consistent referrals to external healthcare professionals when required.

People and their relatives thought highly of the staff team and we saw people being treated with kindness and respect. Relatives were made to feel welcome in the home and arrangements were made to ensure people's privacy was respected. Staff ensured people had access to equipment which they could use to maintain their independence.

People received care that was in line with their needs and individual preferences. Care plans were now more reflective of people's current needs and staff took time to ensure care plans were amended when people's needs changed. Concerns and complaints were addressed quickly. Relatives told us they thought the end of life care provided by the home was personalised and dignified.

The registered manager was visible and approachable and relatives and staff were happy with the way the service was being led. The management team had created an open culture where concerns could be raised and areas for improvement addressed.

The service worked well with other services to ensure people's needs were met and that people received a high-quality service.

More information is in the detailed findings below.