At this inspection we identified some concerns about the care and welfare of some people. We found that risk assessments had not been carried out, or care plans written in a timely manner for people who were newly admitted to the service. We found that this increased the risk of that person receiving care that was unsafe or did not meet their needs appropriately.
People who used the service and their relatives were on the whole content with the care and support delivered by the service. One person expressed concern that they had to wait for assistance at times and felt that staff were occasionally rushed and therefore impatient.
The service ensured that people had the equipment they needed to live their daily lives and this equipment was checked regularly to ensure it was safe to use.
Staff recruited to work at The Poplars underwent a robust recruitment process which ensured they had the skills and qualifications needed to fulfil their role.
There were quality assurance processes in place which monitored the quality of care provided to people. People who used the service and their relatives were able to contribute the process.
The records used by the service were in need of improvement. Some care plans had not been completed and some had not been updated to reflect people's changing needs and dependencies.
People told us they were able to make their own day to day decisions and lifestyle choices. They confirmed they had menu choices, could choose to participate in activities or spend time in their rooms. We saw people could maintain contact with their friends and family.
We saw there was a friendly and relaxed atmosphere between people living and working at the home. We observed staff interacting well with people and supporting them which had a positive impact on their wellbeing. People's views were taken into account in the assessment and care planning process.
We found staff were aware of the different types of abuse and what to do if they witnessed or suspected that people were being abused.
We found processes for the administration and management of medicines were been followed.
The environment was clean and well decorated and systems were in place to ensure maintenance was carried out when required.
We observed staff practices and found they were constantly at hand to support people and approached individuals in a gentle and caring manner. Staff appeared to have a good understanding of people's needs. Where people had difficulty communicating, staff readily identified what was being asked and intuitively worked with them to meet their needs.
People said they were treated with dignity and respect and gave example of staff always knocking on their bedroom doors prior to entering. One person said, 'Staff always knock, when assisting with personal care, this is absolutely carried out with privacy and dignity'.
People spoken to believe their care needs were well met by a staff team who had the knowledge and experience needed. One person said, 'My understanding is that most staff are doing a National Vocation Qualification. From my experience here I would say most of the staff have an innate ability to care for people'. 'Your needs are well taken care of'.
Another person said, 'They are very good, if you need them you use your buzzer, you don't have to wait, they come almost straight away, they always make sure I have my call bell next to me'.
People spoke positively about the staff and the care and support provided. One person said, 'The staff are very good, they are respectful and courteous and not too formal'.