Archived: Prinsted

We considered all the evidence we had gathered under the outcomes we inspected.

We used the information to answer the five questions we always ask;

' Is the service caring?

' Is the service responsive?

' Is the service safe?

' Is the service effective?

' Is the service well led?

Below is a summary of what we found. The summary is based on our observations during the inspection, speaking with people, the staff supporting them and from looking at records. If you would like to see the evidence supporting our summary please read the full report.

Is the service safe?

One person said, 'I feel safe because staff are available all the time.' Another said, 'I always know the staff are there.' They added they felt very vulnerable when moving in but staff understood this and made them feel safe.

Is the service effective?

Feedback received from people using the service was positive and confirmed people were happy with the standard of support provided. Comments included: "It is my choice to be here.' Likewise, in relation to meals, one person reported: "The food is great, we get to choose and cook all the meals.'

All of the people living in the home had an individual support plan which set out their support needs. People told us they had been fully involved in the assessment of their health and support needs and had contributed to developing their support plan.

Is the service caring?

On the day of our visit the general atmosphere in the home was calm and relaxed. People were observed to be comfortable and relaxed in their home environment and were able to follow their own plans and preferred routines and structure of the therapeutic programme.

Staff were attentive to the diverse needs of the people and were noted to communicate and engage with the people they supported in a respectful, dignified and caring manner. Staff were aware of people's preferences, interests, aspirations.

Our observations of the support provided, discussions with people, and records we looked at told us that individual wishes for care and support were taken into account and respected. Two people who currently share are moving to single rooms. They said their privacy was respected even when sharing as they, 'All respect each other as we are like a family.' One person said, 'Staff are mindful of our privacy.'

Is the service responsive?

People told us they were able to participate in a range of activities both in the home and in the local community. The activities provided were set around the stages of the therapeutic programme they included people working in charity shops and attending college.

People told us they were regularly involved in reviewing their support and stages of their recovery; and their choices were listened to.

Is the service well- led?

People's personal care records, and other records kept in the home, were accurate and complete. The service worked well with other agencies and services to make sure people received their care in a joined up way. We noted this when we viewed people's reviews and noted that outside agencies had been involved in the person's review process.

We found that the provider had taken action to address the identified concerns around the recruitment checks for staff to ensure that staff employed by the service held the appropriate qualifications and skills for their role.

People told us that the managers of the service were very approachable and open to feedback or suggestions. They also said that they felt confident with reporting any concerns they had to the management in order for the appropriate action to be taken.

People said that they felt "Comfortable" with the staff and also found them to be very "Professional". They told us that there were enough staff available to offer support when needed.

We saw that the service had good quality assurance systems in place in order to ensure that they offered support and treatment to people that was effective and of a high quality .

However, we found concerns that the service had not completed the relevant recruitment checks in order to ensure that all staff had the right qualifications and skills in order to provide appropriate support and treatment to people who used the service.

People said that they were aware of the complaints procedure as it was in the hallway by the office that they passed frequently, but had not needed to make any official complaints in the past.

People also told us that they felt confident to raise any concerns they had with staff and although they would expect them to sort it, if they didn't they would take it to the providers.

One person told us that although they might push the rules and boundaries sometimes, the staff were always mature and reasonable in how they interacted with them, which avoided conflict.