During our unannounced visit on the 27th June 2013 we saw improvements and repairs had been made to the premises.
We spoke to staff and one person who used the service, they told us, 'I like the bedding, it's nice, lots of colour'.
On the day of our visit we observed service users having their breakfast and preparing to go out for the day. We saw that people could eat at their own pace and were not hurried. The dining room was bright and airy and the windows were open. Some service users were waiting for transport to take them to a day centre, others were independently taking the bus into the nearby town. We spoke with several service users who told us, "I like it here, I can do what I want", another said "I get bored in the evening and go upstairs and watch the television". We saw service users moving about freely and talking with staff.
During our visit we saw that a new agreement had been drawn up with the local authority about the length of time service users stayed at the home. We also noted that the maintenance of the building was still poor.
We saw positive interactions between staff and people who use the service, with staff being supportive towards the needs of people. We saw that staff treated people with respect and maintained their privacy and dignity
The atmosphere within the home was relaxed and we saw positive interactions between staff and people who use the service, with staff being supportive towards the needs of people. We saw that staff treated people with respect and maintained their privacy and dignity.
However, we did find concerns with the management and recording of medication for people who use the service, as well as some environmental issues.