5 January 2012
During an inspection in response to concerns
Another person told us how they wanted to move into supported living accommodation but this was a big step for them. We asked this person if they had worked with the staff to put together a care plan to help them become more independent in preparation for moving on from the care home. This person was not aware of any discussions with staff about this and they did not appear to know about their plan of care.
One person said, 'its good here, I can come and go as I please. I go out very early and then come back for my meals.' We asked this person if staff ever went out with them and they told us staff never went out with them, they always went alone.
One person who had diabetes said, 'they give me the same food as everyone else, but they give me smaller portions. At first they made me have just yogurts, but they did not fill me up and I was hungry.'
We observed that people using the service were living in dirty and unhygienic conditions.
One person using the service told us, 'I can smell the bathroom (situated down the corridor) from my bedroom, it's not very nice.'
One person said, 'Its pretty filthy here and it smells.' Another person said, 'It's clean here, the staff clean.' We saw a mattress for one person that was heavily stained. This person said,' it's been like that since I moved in. I did not do it.'
One person using the service told us,' I can smell the bathroom (situated down the corridor) from my bedroom, it's not very nice.'
Another person told us, 'when I use the bathroom and go to put paper towels in the waste bin the bin is always full of incontinent pads that have poo on them, it smells and is horrible.'
We spoke with a service user who had limited mobility and lived in an upstairs bedroom in the service. We asked them about a recent fire in the home and if they had been evacuated. They told us, 'I heard the fire alarm go off and I knew this must be real as the staff would have told me if it was a test. My friend came in later and said everyone had been evacuated.'