Archived: Amethyst House

One person said of the food, 'Some days it's champion, other days I'd put it in the bin.' One person who was in bed had water in their room, however this was out of reach. Another person had water in their room within reach but did not have a beaker.

One person walked with the assistance of a frame and had difficulty negotiating between dining tables. We saw four staff watching this person, two staff commented on the difficulty the person was having. No staff went to the person's assistance.

People told us, "The girls are pretty good, if you want something they try and get it. Sometimes I feel as if the odd ones ignore me. They walk past and I call their name and they ignore me, just the odd ones, the majority are alright.' Another person said, 'Sometimes I call and call and no one answers, they pass and pass and take no notice, supposed to be carers.'

People were cared for by staff who were supported to deliver care and treatment safely and to an appropriate standard.

The provider did not have an effective system to regularly assess and monitor the quality of service that people receive.

Audits were not sufficiently robust as they had not picked up the issues and shortfalls we identified regarding care for people in the home.

There was an effective complaints system available. Comments and complaints people made were responded to appropriately.

People were not protected from the risks of unsafe or inappropriate care and treatment because accurate and appropriate records were not maintained.

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

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

Is the service safe?

People were treated with respect and dignity by the staff. Staff were not given appropriate support and guidance to ensure that they cared for people safely. People benefited from a varied choice of nutritional foods. People were not always protected from the risk of abuse. Staff had appropriate training yet appropriate guidance was not always followed. People were not cared for in a clean, hygienic environment. Systems were in place for managers to monitor the quality of the service and make sure it was run safely however these systems were not consistently, frequently and robustly applied.

Is the service effective?

People's needs were assessed and care and treatment was planned. Care plans contained assessments of people's care and support needs. These assessments described the steps staff should take to ensure each person's needs were met. However these were not reviewed with the frequency and consistency expected by the provider.

Staff did not always receive appropriate support to meet the needs of people living at the home.

Is the service caring?

We observed that staff were predominantly caring and respectful towards people. Each care task we observed took place in a patient and kind manner. People spoke positively about their experience of receiving care at the home.

Is the service responsive?

Staff did not always act upon people's needs and in accordance with their wishes. Where people needed specific support or care, we saw evidence that this was delivered in accordance with people's needs.

Is the service well-led?

There was a quality assurance system in place, where staff internal and external to the home carried out a quality monitoring programme. However this system was not completed with the expected frequency, detail or robustness. Staff we spoke with did not believe they were well led and did not have confidence in the management team.

People were protected from the risks of unsafe or inappropriate care and treatment because accurate and appropriate records were maintained.

People experienced care, treatment and support that met their needs and protected their rights. One person told us: 'They do look after us well. They're a lovely bunch of people.' another person said: 'It's a brilliant place. The carers can't do enough for you.'

We found there were not enough qualified, skilled and experienced staff to meet people's needs.

The provider had an effective system to regularly assess and monitor the quality of service that people receive. All of the people we spoke with said they had no worries or concerns, but that they could talk to staff if they had any.

People were not protected from the risks of unsafe or inappropriate care and treatment because accurate and appropriate records were not maintained.

You can see our judgements on the front page of this report.