Archived: Balmoral Court Care Home

We found that people's care was now properly planned to meet their needs and ensure their safety and welfare.

People using the service were supported by enough skilled and experienced staff who understood their needs.

The provider had taken action to improve and maintain people's personal accommodation and other areas of the home.

People's records had been developed to reflect their preferences and manage risks associated with their care delivery.

Those people who were able to tell us about their experiences said they made choices in their daily living. Where people were unable to express clear choices, we found that staff worked flexibly to provide care at their preferred pace.

We found staffing was routinely monitored to make sure there was enough staff to meet people's needs. Appropriate arrangements had been made to employ more staff to increase staffing levels to care for people during the day and at night.

Brilan is currently providing nursing and personal care and support to two people with mental health needs and/or learning disabilities.

The last piece of evidence with regard to this inspection was received 19 September 2013.

The inspection was carried out as concerns had been raised by the local authority safeguarding adults team with regard to the operation of this service.

We used a number of different methods which included observation to help us understand the experiences of people using the service, because some of the people using the service had complex needs which meant they were not able to tell us their experiences.

Before people received any care or treatment they were not always asked for their consent. Where people did not have the capacity to consent, the provider did not always act in accordance with legal requirements.

People were at risk of unsafe or inappropriate care and treatment because care records did not reflect people's care needs accurately. People's needs had not been all regularly assessed, nor had the necessary support plans been devised to make sure staff knew how their needs should be met.

People who used the service, staff and visitors were not protected against the risks of unsafe or unsuitable premises.

There were not enough qualified, skilled and experienced staff to meet people's needs.

Some people who used the service had complex needs which meant they were not always able to tell us about their experiences of living at the home. We used a number of methods to help us understand their experiences, including carrying out an observation and speaking with people who could talk with us.

We spoke with two people who used the service. People told us they were happy with the care they received. One person said, "I love it here. I've lived in two other places and this is the best place I've been. The staff know me very well. They can tell if I'm under the weather and they act quickly. I feel very safe under their care." We reviewed four care records and saw that people's preferences and care needs had been well documented.

During our inspection we observed good care practices. Staff were knowledgeable about people's care needs and what they should do to support them.

There were enough staff to meet people's needs and appropriate arrangements were in place to manage medicines.

We found there was an effective system in place to monitor and assess the quality of the service provided.

Relatives praised the service that people received and said they had no complaints. Their comments included, 'I have no worries, I know he's looked after properly here'; 'It's a lovely place, there's always a welcoming atmosphere'; and, 'I'm absolutely delighted with this home and the care'.