Archived: Blatchington House

We spoke with 10 of the people who lived at the home. Some people were unable to tell us their experiences of living at Blatchington House because of their complex needs. People who spoke with us said, "I am very comfortable here, the staff are very good", and "I prefer to spend most of my time in my room, although I do go down to the dining room when I want to”.

We spoke with two relatives, two nurses, five care staff, the administrator, the chef, maintenance person and the manager during the inspection. We reviewed four care plans and associated documentation; we looked at the management of medication, complaints and relevant policies and procedures, and the assessing and monitoring of the services provided.

We considered our inspection findings to answer questions we always ask:

Is the service safe?

Is the service effective?

Is the service caring?

Is the service responsive?

Is the service well-led?

Is the service safe?

We found that during this inspection the service was safe. Relatives we spoke with told us they felt people who lived at the home were safe. Staff felt that they provided the care and support in a way that ensured people’s safety, whilst also allowing them to make choices.

Systems were in place to ensure the management and staff learned from events and the issues identified at the last inspection had been addressed.

Is the service effective?

We found that during our inspection the service was effective. People’s health and social care needs had been assessed and care plans had been produced.

Is the service caring?

We found that during our inspection that the service was caring. We saw that people were supported by kind, patient staff, who encouraged people to make decisions about how they spent their time.

Is the service responsive?

We found that during our inspection that the service was responsive. We saw evidence that when people’s needs had changed, the staff had made appropriate referrals to outside agencies.

Is the service well led?

We found during our inspection that the service was well led. An effective quality assurance system was in place, and shortcomings in the services provided were identified and acted upon.

Staff we spoke with were clear about their roles and responsibilities. They had an understanding of the needs of people who lived at the home and they said they were able to talk to the management if they had any concerns.

During this inspection we spoke with four people who used the service and eight members of staff. These included the registered manager, two registered nurses, four care workers and the receptionist.

Medicines were stored safely however shortfalls were identified in the recording of medication administration which placed people at risk of unsafe medication practices.

During our inspection we looked at staffing rotas and observed levels of staffing. We also spoke with staff members and people who used the service. We saw that the service had enough qualified, skilled and experienced staff to meet people's needs at all times. One person told us “Whenever I press my call bell, they always come quickly.”

Treatment and monitoring of physical health and nutritional needs were clearly planned and reviewed. Staff told us they had a detailed handover about the wellbeing of all people in the home when they took over from out-going staff. Records showed concerns from care assistant observations were rapidly passed to nurses, who liaised promptly with GPs or other health professionals to seek medical assessment as necessary.

All care plans contained an activity plan. A full time activities worker provided activities and stimulation to people. They engaged with people individually in their rooms if they were not well enough to go to the lounges, or preferred not to do so. We saw all staff encouraged informal socialising and individual conversation in the sitting rooms.

All people we spoke with considered the home a safe place to live. One person who lived in the home said “Staff are attentive, they know what’s going on and the manager comes to see everyone every day.” Staff were clear about indicators of possible abuse, and their responsibilities should they identify any concerns about people’s safety.

All the people we spoke with knew the manager and felt confident complaints or suggestions would be listened to. A person living in the home said “The manager looks in every day, I can always catch her. I’d trust her to look into anything and all the staff pass things on.”

There were meetings for people in the home to discuss aspects of everyday life, such as meals and activities. There was also an annual survey of the experience of people who lived in the home. These measures showed people in the home had an influence on management decisions.

We also took information from other sources to help us understand the views of people who used the service, which included a satisfaction survey and meeting minutes.

The people we spoke with told us they were happy with the care they received and with the staff team. One person who used the service told us "The staff are helpful and I feel safe here.”

Another person who used the service we spoke with told us "The carers and nurses here are nice and we enjoy fresh meat and vegetables from a local farm.”

A family member of a person who used the service who was visiting on the day of our visit told us "It’s like a home here rather than a purpose built home.”

Staff we spoke with knew the people living at the home well and had a good understanding of their support needs. One member of staff we spoke with told us "I am here for the residents and no one else.”