21 March 2011 and 21 March 2012
During a routine inspection
People told us about how their choices and preferences were listened to. One person told us 'We consider ourselves fortunate; everybody explains what is going on'.
People said that they understood about the care and treatment they were receiving because staff told them what was planned and happening to them. People told us that they felt they were treated with dignity and respect. One relative described how they observed that staff always spoke respectfully to everybody and that their relatives dignity was always considered when care was being given, blinds were closed and the person's consent was gained before care was given.
People told us about the meals provided at the hospital, saying that they had enough choice and variety and that the standard of the food was adequate. For those people who were not able to talk with us, because they had a diminished level of capacity, we observed how they were supported to eat and drink and how their preferences were managed.
Staff and people who use the service told us that their care was coordinated between different departments and different health professionals. We observed how discharge planning took place and how people using the service were involved.
People told us they felt safe and protected and that they could tell people if they had any concerns. They told us that all of the staff were very approachable and they had confidence that staff would respond appropriately.
People and staff told us that the hospital was clean. One person using the service told us that the floor was cleaned twice everyday and that there was never any unpleasant smells.
People told us about the staff, they told us that they were kind, thoughtful and that they were skilled to meet all of their needs. They told us that it was a regular staff who they had come to know. They said that there were enough staff at all times and that they responded promptly to requests for help. One person told us,' They don't give the impression of ever being short staffed'. Another person told us that staff were 'Worth every penny, [there is] always someone around'.
We saw that the people's records were stored securely but were located so that they were accessible to staff should they need them quickly. However, we observed that some records were not accurate. The provider has already acknowledged shortfalls in this area and is making changes to the current documentation used.