- Care home
Alma Barn Lodge
We imposed conditions on the registration of Didcot Care Home Limited on 29 February 2024 for failing to meet the regulations relating to safe care and governance at Alma Barn Lodge.
Report from 12 December 2023 assessment
Contents
Ratings
Our view of the service
Alma Barn Lodge is a residential care home providing accommodation for people who require nursing and personal care. The care home can accommodate up to 85 people but at the time of this assessment 28 people were being supported. We carried out our on-site assessment on 10 January 2024, off site assessment activity started on 10 January 2024 and ended on 24 January 2024. The provider had not always adequately assessed and mitigated people’s individual risks such as epilepsy care, diabetes, nutrition and hydration, skin protection and distressed behaviour support. There were not always effective risk management plans in place as they lacked detail and therefore staff did not always have clear guidance on what to do to support people safely. Staff had not received sufficient training in areas such as epilepsy, dementia, communication or oral health care. There were not sufficient numbers of staff deployed to meet people’s assessed needs. During our observations of care, we found that staff did not always have time to support people’s assessed needs. Staff commented, “Only have 2 staff upstairs. It is not enough. I can’t deliver the care I know I want to provide and at times we just cannot cope” and “Upstairs definitely needs more staff”. Concerns with staffing levels had been raised in the previous inspection. The provider did not have sufficient systems and processes in place to assess, monitor and improve the quality, health, safety and welfare of the service to ensure people had high quality care. There were effective safeguarding systems, processes and practices in place. Staff completed safeguarding training and those we spoke with understood their role in keeping people safe. All staff knew how and where to report any concerns to. Staff had been recruited safely with all pre-employment checks completed prior to them starting work.
People's experience of this service
People told us they did not feel there was sufficient staff to support them effectively. Comments included, “No there’s not enough staff, they are rushed off their feet” and “I don’t think there is enough staff, I often have to help people myself with little things if there is no staff around”. People said they had to wait for assistance and commented, “If I ring my bell, I have to wait 5 minutes or so, sometimes longer if they are busy” and “If you ring your bell, it is hit and miss when they [staff] will come”. People and relatives told us they felt safe and confident to raise any concerns they might have. Comments included, “Yes, I feel very safe here”, A relative commented, “[Person] is generally safe but has had issues with some agency staff, minor things really but sorted now”.