Archived: The Vintry Residential Care Home

When we arrived we were told by the deputy manager that the home was closing. The provider had sold The Vintry and the adjoining sheltered bungalows in the middle of April, but had not informed the Care Quality Commission.

The deputy manager said that the staff had been working with the people who lived in the home, their relatives, friends and the local authority and had arranged transfers to alternative residential accommodation.

At the time of the visit there were six people living in The Vintry. One person was moving out on the day of the visit, and the expectation was that the remaining five people would be transferred within the next three to four weeks.

We found that the atmosphere in the home was relaxed and comfortable, and people and staff were talking and laughing. However, due to the imminent move people chose not to talk to us about the home.

We observed that staff had continued to support people and managed the home appropriately during the closure. The premises were clean and well maintained.

Staff told us the manager and deputy manager had been very supportive, and they had been able to make alternative arrangements for their future.

People told us they were very comfortable living at The Vintry. One person said, 'I like this home very much. I have my own room and can decide what I want to do.' Another person told us, 'I have everything I need and the staff are very supportive.' We found evidence that people were encouraged to make choices and observed people being treated with respect and dignity.

We examined four care plans, and found that people and their relatives were involved in making decisions about the care provided. However, we found that the care plans did not reflect all the current needs of people living in the home. We spoke with two of the care workers and they were able to demonstrate a good understanding of people's needs and how these were met.

We looked at staff files, training and supervision records. Staff told us they received training and supervision to help them provide the care and support people needed and wanted. We looked at the records for staff we spoke with and found they had attended relevant training.

There were a number of systems in place to review the quality of service being provided at The Vintry. Surveys were used to capture how people felt about living in the home, and there were monthly meetings with people to ensure their needs were being met.