Archived: Purbeck Care

We found that Purbeck Care had made improvements to the way medicines were handled and managed. Medicines were kept and administered safely. Appropriate arrangements were in place to record medicines and training had been arranged for staff to ensure they were competent in supporting people with this aspect of their care.

People who used the service, staff and visitors were protected against the risks of unsafe or unsuitable premises. We found that the provider had plans in place to maintain and refurbish the premises. Repairs were being carried out where there were identified needs to ensure the home was safe and suitable for use. People who used the service spoke positively about their home and had been involved in choosing colour schemes and accessories to personalise their bedrooms.

The provider was taking appropriate steps to ensure that there were enough staff available, with suitable qualifications, skills and experience, to meet people's needs. Staff told us that, overall, there were enough staff to meet people's needs and they felt they had the right knowledge and skills to support people.

The provider had arrangements in place to deliver training and support to staff. Staff told us they felt supported in their work and that improvements had been made to the training provided. However, these arrangements had not been fully implemented. This meant that staff had not always received appropriate training, supervision and appraisal to ensure they were able to deliver care and treatment to people safely and to an appropriate standard.

People were treated with consideration and respect. One person told us, 'The staff here are really good and listen to what I have to say.'

People's needs were assessed and support was planned and delivered to meet people's needs. One person's relative told us, 'They know her well. I don't think there is anywhere else that could look after her as well.'

People told us that they had a choice of food and had enough to eat. One person told us, 'We are able to choose food the menu is good, I like it.' . One person's relative told us, 'He lost a lot of weight when he moved in. He had problems with his teeth. They are regularly weighing him now and making sure he eats.'

The provider had developed a policy on restraint following our last inspection. However the provider did not have policy and guidance for staff with regards to the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards.

The home was clean and staff were aware of how to reduce the risk of infection. However, there was not an effective system in place to ensure the cleanliness of some reusable medical devices.

Medication was administered safely. However the provider had not made appropriate arrangements for the storage and recording of medicines.

The provider obtained appropriate information prior to appointing staff.

We found that improvements had been made, although more needed to be done to ensure that people were always supported in a safe and consistent way. For example, there was better information about people's health and care needs. However there was a lack of clear guidance about restraint and physical intervention by staff.

People who used the service told us they did things that they enjoyed, such as going shopping and visiting places of interest. One person said that an activity was planned for each day but commented 'I don't have to do it'.

Staff told us that they felt supported in their work. However we found that the arrangements being made for the training and deployment of staff were not adequate for a service of this complexity.

Systems were in place for monitoring the service, although the methods used may not be fully capturing people's experiences. We found that the provider was taking steps to become more pro-active in relation to service improvement and to safeguarding people and their rights. A multi-agency safeguarding investigation was continuing at the time of our inspection. The outcome of this investigation will help to inform our assessment of the service and we will take further action as necessary.