Archived: Baronsmede

We observed an afternoon music and movement session and saw that most people were engaged with the group activity. We also saw that some people chose to read magazines or play computer games and that there was sufficient flexibility and staff on duty to facilitate these choices.

We visited the care home in the evening and people showed us their rooms and we joined three people in the dining room for their evening meal. We were told that the food was "Good" and "Very nice" at Baronsmede and people said they had plenty of choice over their meals.

We met with a person who had recently moved to Baronsmede. This individual had their own flat within the care home and was supported by a designated team of staff. A relative of this person told us "X has settled much more quickly than we thought." This demonstrated that the provider structured services around people's individual needs.

We found that the home was clean and tidy with good systems in place to manage infection control. Staff had access to protective equipment such as gloves and aprons to minimise the risk of cross infection.

Staff said that they were well supported and that there were sufficient numbers of them to deliver the services they provided. The supported living accommodation had its own rota and we found that staffing levels were appropriately managed to ensure that each person received the service they expected and were contracted to receive.

People told us that they were happy with their support, but that they would feel confident to tell staff or management if anything was wrong. One relative said they would be happy to voice concerns but that it had not been necessary because "This is by far the best place that X has ever stayed in."

We interviewed three staff who were employed to work in the home, including the registered manager. Staff told us that Baronsmede was a nice place to work and that they believed that people were well looked after and experienced a good quality of life. Staff also told us that they felt well supported in their jobs with access to appropriate training and guidance from their manager.

We found that the home had a good system in place for managing medication. This included a dedicated communication book which informed staff of any changes to people's medicines during the month. This meant that people received the right medication at the right time.

We looked at a range of records and found that these were well maintained. It was evident that both staff and management understood the importance of keeping records accurate and up to date. This ensured that staff were able to support people consistently and effectively.