Archived: Vine House Elderly Peoples Residence

Below is a summary of what we found. The summary is based on our observations during the inspection, discussions with people using the service, their relatives, the staff supporting them and looking at records.

If you wish to see the evidence supporting our summary please read the full report.

Is the service safe?

We saw that the service was clean and improvements had been made to the maintenance of the building and facilities. These actions meant that people were not placed at unnecessary risk. People that we spoke with told us that they were satisfied with the environment in which they lived. One person told us that it was, 'Marvellous'.

The representative of the provider had reviewed the staffing level in the home and increased the numbers of staff on duty. Staff had received up-to-date training to ensure that they had the necessary skills to meet the needs of people living at Vine House Elderly Peoples Residence. Everyone that we spoke with was complimentary about the staff. They told us that staff came quickly if they needed support. One said, 'There's usually plenty of people around. They're very good, they don't just fly past'.

CQC monitors the operation of the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards which applies to care homes. While no applications have needed to be submitted the representative of the provider demonstrated knowledge of their responsibilities in respect of this.

Is the service effective?

We found that care plans were detailed and provided up-to-date information about people's care needs. The selection of care plans that we looked at demonstrated that people or their representatives had been consulted and that their personal needs and preferences were reflected. This meant that people were sure that their individual care needs and wishes were known and planned for. One person said, 'It's very good with very good food and very nice staff'.

Is the service caring?

People were supported by kind and attentive staff. We saw that staff were patient and gave encouragement when supporting people. We spoke with eight people. They were all satisfied with the care that they received. They told us they were able to do things at their own pace and were not rushed. Our observations confirmed this. One person told us, 'They're very kind. They couldn't be kinder'. Another said, 'I get a bit spoilt here I think'. A relative had written to the home in March 2014 and said, 'Vine House is home from home as much as it can be'.

Is the service responsive?

People told us that they were able to raise suggestions or concerns and that they were regularly consulted about changes in the home. One said, 'X (Representative of the provider) asks us and discusses with us. I'm perfectly contented'. We spoke with four members of staff. They told us that communication was good. One said, 'Communication is a big thing and that has improved'. Another told us, 'There have been a lot of changes. It's been very good, the atmosphere is better'. We found that the service listened and responded to feedback received from people, their representatives and from staff.

Is the service well-led?

Since our last inspection we found that improvements had been made in relation to maintenance of the environment, staffing numbers and staff support. This was also confirmed by people and staff that we spoke with and by examining records. One member of staff said, 'You felt like you were fighting before to be quite honest. They told us, 'There have been a lot of changes for the better'.

We saw all medicines were stored securely. Medicines that are liable to misuse, called controlled drugs, were stored appropriately.

The feedback we received from people was positive. People told us that they were happy with the care and support they received and that they found the staff to be both helpful and kind.

One person said, "I am very pleased with the support I receive from the staff. They treat me very well."

Another person said, "Its a friendly and happy atmosphere here. I like the fact that we have a good mix of staff and many are young. They help me to feel more enthusiastic about things".

At this inspection we spent time observing the interaction between staff and people. We found staff to be positive and respectful . People were spoken to as individuals and staff were seen to provide guidance in support to people when they asked for support.

At this inspection we found that people were not protected by the home's medicine administration practices. We also observed periods of time that people did not receive the support they needed in an appropriate and timely manner due to the current staffing levels. The training and supervision of staff was not always sufficient to ensure people were cared for by staff who received the appropriate support to do their jobs well.

People told us that they liked living at Vine House. They told us that staff were

very supportive and helpful. One person said, " I am very happy here, the staff treat me well."

People spoke positively about the meals they receive.They told us that the menu choices were good and they could not fault the meals. They said," I am very happy with what I have to eat, its good quality and tasty."

We found that the home did not always ensure people were supported with a care plan to reduce the risk of inappropriate and unsafe care. We also found that the management of medicines did not always protect people.

We observed staff interacting in a positive and helpful manner with people they were supporting.