6 February 2012
During an inspection looking at part of the service
We saw that people were appropriately dressed in individual styles appropriate to their age, gender and the activities they were undertaking on the day of our visit. We saw that some people had gone out for the day and other people were relaxing at home. People were able to move freely between the communal areas and their own flats. We saw that people's rooms were personalised and individually decorated. One person we talked with said, 'I picked the wallpaper for my room'.
We found that lunch was an informal social event between people who lived at the home and the staff. People who lived there made casual conversation with us during lunch. We saw a comments book in the dining room and noticed that the manager had taken appropriate action when someone had been dissatisfied with something which showed that they are keen to respond to feedback to improve the service provided.
We saw that information available in the hallway for people to read included booklets on empowerment and advocacy and emergency procedures. We saw a large illustration of local bus routes and common destinations on the wall of the craft area. One person who lived at the home told us they always use public transport when they go out.
We found that the quality of care was reviewed by the registered manager and the provider. We saw the people who lived at the home, their relatives and other health professionals had been regularly invited to comment on what they thought about the home and how it could be improved.