All inspections: Newstead House - Care Quality Commission

Staff spoke to people with respect and people we spoke with said staff listened to them and supported them to make choices about their care and treatment. Comments included "they help me do what I need to do" and "I choose what I want to eat."

People we spoke with said they knew that they had care plans and had been asked to contribute to them. One person said "yes, they do" when asked if the service supported them well. Care and treatment was not planned and delivered in a way that was intended to ensure people's safety and welfare. People's need for daytime activity was not always maintained.

Medicines were kept securely and safely administered. However, the provider did not have appropriate arrangements in place to manage medicines.There was enough qualified, skilled and experienced staff to meet people's needs. There had been an issue with staff shortages due to shift cancellations, however measures had been out in place to address these.

We saw that there were some processes and systems for assessing and monitoring the quality of the service provision. However, The provider did not have an effective system in place to gather information about the safety and quality of their service from people who use the service, staff and others.

People we spoke with voiced positive opinions about the service. People said they were treated with respect and dignity, and that they could make choices over their daily lives. Comments included "I choose what I want for breakfast" and "I choose my own clothes". We found that care plans were in place for people and that these were personalised and reviewed regularly. We saw that staff treated people well, and they showed a good understanding of how to support people.

We found that the service had a safeguarding vulnerable adults procedure, and that staff had an awareness of their responsibilities with regard to this. People told us that they felt safe living at the home and staff made people aware of how to raise any concerns about abuse. Appropriate arrangements were in place in relation to the management of medicines and people we spoke with told us they received support with their medication. The premises were safe and suitable. People said they liked the environment and were happy with their accommodation. One person said "I like my room, it's nice and peaceful."

During the course of our inspection we met and spent time with a number of people who use the service. They talked to us about what they did, what they liked and about Newstead House. We were also able to speak with four relatives. All the people we spoke with were happy with the care and support provided by the service. We saw that people who used the service and staff spent time together doing different things and chatting to each other. People were treated with respect by staff and were relaxed in their company.

One relative said, 'Newstead is a lovely place. The staff are very nice and friendly. My loved one has a great life there. It is a very nice place.' A second relative said, "We are quite happy with the care. I think my loved one is happy there. The staff are friendly.' Another relative told us, 'My relative has been there many years and they are happy there. They take them out on trips and my relative attends art classes. The staff are fine and one member of staff has known my relative for years. We have no concerns. I think it's a very nice place and staff are lovely.'

We spoke to four members of staff on duty. One member of staff said, 'I am well supported here and have been on a lot of training recently. The management are always happy to listen to you.' Another member of staff told us, 'We are like a little family on this unit. We go out together and we chat. The management are good and they do support us.' Staff felt they were given a range of training and could talk to the management team who would always support them.

We received positive comments regarding the care provided at the service. A relative said, 'The care is fantastic and I can't complain about that. I have complained in the past and they have always done something about it. The new manager is good and the regular carers are brilliant.' Another relative said, 'The service is very, very good and is running very well. I have no complaints and no concerns. I go to the home once a week and my loved one seems happy. We have never had to complain about anything. The staff are very friendly and the home is homely. The service provided is superb.' Further positive comments from another relative included, 'I think the home is good. My loved one has been there for eleven years and they are quite independent. They are able to go out on their own and we are very satisfied.'

We asked relatives about the care and welfare of people living at the home. A relative spoken to said, 'If you have any problems, they deal with it. There are three carers at the home that I would highly recommend. They deal with any issues I have immediately. My loved one is always clean and is well dressed. In all fairness, I have been invited to one review and I can go to the manager with any issues and they sort it out. On the whole I am happy with my loved one being there.' Another relative told us, 'Y seems ok there. Staff seem polite and pleasant.'

Relatives spoken to all informed that they would speak to the manager if there was ever a problem. One relative said, 'When ever I have had an issue the manager has always dealt with it straight away.'

Relatives and representatives spoken to as part of the inspection highlighted their concerns regarding the low numbers of staff on duty. Comments received stated;

'When I visited the home, I saw my loved one doing nothing at 10.30am and they were waiting for their breakfast. There was one member of staff around. I don't know how long they had been waiting for their breakfast. None of the regular staff were on and there are never any carers in the downstairs lounge. There is no one around when I have been at the home.'

'There is a lot of agency staff on duty. I don't worry about X when the regular carers are on, but I do when I know agency staff are on duty. There is never any staff around in the down stairs lounge.'

'There are always different members of staff on duty and I don't feel people there have continuity of service. My loved one has had a lot of different key workers recently. I have been in on a Saturday and there is no staff around.'

'There does seem to be a problem with staffing levels on the weekend.'

People using the service informed us they were generally satisfied with the care provided at the home. However, some relatives highlighted issues with the laundry services at the home and felt when they highlighted the issues they were never resolved. One relative said 'My loved ones laundry has gone missing a number of times. Laundry has come back wet and my loved one would put it on wet. I have told the home about this a number of times, and they are now keeping a closer eye on the laundry.' Another relative told us that 'My loved ones clothes have been ruined. I do tell them but nothing is done about it.'

Archived: Newstead House

All Inspections

15 August 2013

During an inspection in response to concerns

4 April 2013

During a routine inspection

2 May 2012

During an inspection looking at part of the service

27 September 2011

During an inspection in response to concerns