- Care home
The Grange Care Home
Report from 17 October 2024 assessment
Contents
Ratings
Our view of the service
Date of Assessment: 14 to 22 November 2024. The Grange is a residential care home providing personal care for up to 35 people who are older, have physical health conditions or are living with dementia. At the time of the inspection 35 people used the service. People felt safe. Staff understood people's needs and how to manage any presenting risks. On the whole risk assessments were in place, but at times staff needed to provide more detail around what to do and who to contact if risks arose. We discussed enhancements that could be made to care records by including more information on people’s life histories. The regional manager confirmed they would make these improvements. Staff treated people with dignity and kindness. People experienced a wide range of activities, which broadened their horizons. The catering staff had a comprehensive understanding of people’s needs and ensured people received enjoyable meals. Relatives and professionals were impressed by how staff were supporting people to be involved in decisions and get enjoyment from their lives. During the weekdays there were enough staff on duty. Overnight there was just enough staff. However, there would not have been enough staff at night should an incident have occurred. The provider had made changes to staff rotas and people’s care to make improvements to staffing. Although, further improvements were required. The provider intended to employ staff to provide twilight cover. Staff were not always aware of who or how to contact the management team in an emergency. The business continuity plan did not cover what night staff were to do in emergencies or staff absence and this contributed to them not knowing what to do. This was addressed immediately. Recruitment practices were meeting requirements but, staff needed to make sure the information was stored in the relevant folders. The registered manager was not always visible within the home. However everyone described them approachable and personable.
People's experience of this service
People were overwhelmingly positive about the quality of their care. Everyone we spoke with told us how extremely caring and supportive the staff were and how they often went the extra mile to ensure people’s needs were met. One person said, “The staff are wonderful. They are so kind and caring. They are always looking at things I can do which will make my life better.” Some individuals had very limited verbal communication skills. We used a structured observation tool to assess whether they received good care. This approach showed people were included and listened to and staff consistently interacted positively with them. We observed staff worked with people in a sensitive, caring and considerate manner. They encouraged people to be as independent as possible and really encouraged them to reach their full potential. People felt safe and their dignity and human rights were fully promoted. They were encouraged to make decisions. People and their relatives told us about the positive impact the service had had on their lives. A relative said, “It’s nice to see them enjoying themselves.” Another relative said, “[Person’s name] always looks well kempt. They go out often and loves to go shopping with the staff. [Person’s name] is now so happy and calm, which is such a real difference.” People told us they felt listened to and consulted around how their care and support should be provided. Relatives discussed how skilled staff were and how well they treated their loved ones. All felt staff were competent and knowledgeable. People felt able to complain and were confident action would be taken and improvements would be made. One person said, “It’s just like living with family. Staff are so lovely.”