22 July 2011
During a routine inspection
We were told by someone that in their experience the nursing care was 'OK' that there was 'nothing wrong' at the home.
A resident told us that the meals were good and that they would 'try and accommodate by doing something special'. This resident said that the home was 'always lovely and clean' and that when friends visited they had commented on the 'cleanliness and freshness'. They also said that staff were 'always cleaning carpets, the cleaners are very thorough' and that their room was 'done every day, sheets done every day'. It was also commented by this person that everyone has their 'own facecloth, never someone else's'.
We asked a resident about how their privacy was respected and they said that staff treated them with respect and that they were happy with this aspect of their care. However they commented that it is often possible to hear other residents being discussed during the handovers take place during shift changes.
At the time of the visit there was considerable media interest in the financial situation of the provider. Some residents and relatives mentioned this and we took the opportunity to talk to them about it. While understandable concern was expressed we did note that they all said they had been given information and the opportunity to discuss any concerns with staff and the manager. One person told us that they had been 'worried about Southern Cross' but that there had been 'meetings with management and letters for us'.
One person to whom we spoke told us that in their opinion the home was 'short staffed sometimes'.