What the CQC found at Sheerwater House

Medicines were organised, given when required and recorded correctly. Staff had guidance for medicines given as needed and for topical creams.

“All MARs were completed correctly with no gaps in records.” from the report

People had good relationships with staff and were treated with dignity. Staff respected privacy, knocked before entering rooms and supported people's independence.

“We witnessed kind and considerate interactions which showed affection between staff and people using the service.” from the report

Staff completed induction and relevant training, including specialist training. They received supervision and were supported to become confident and competent.

“All new staff completed an induction programme which included mandatory training and shadowing another experienced staff member.” from the report

The home had strengthened its assessments for falls, pressure injuries, choking, malnutrition, dehydration and other health risks. Staff had guidance about people's specific conditions.

“People had appropriate guidance in place around risk to ensure it was robustly managed and reduced.” from the report

The building did not always reflect the needs of people living with dementia. Inspectors found too little decoration and too few sensory features to make the environment dementia friendly.

“People were living with dementia at Sheerwater House but there was a lack of decoration and sensory elements to make the home dementia friendly.” from the report

Some activities were available, but they were not always suitable for people living with dementia. During one activity, people could not understand the game and were not given individual support to join in.

“People living at the home who lived with dementia did not have a variety of activities which were suitable for them and offered stimulation.” from the report

Care plans were being reviewed and some had improved, but not all contained enough information about people's life histories, likes and dislikes. The home needed more time to apply the improvements consistently.

“People's care records did not consistently contain sufficient details about their life history, likes and dislikes.” from the report

Staffing was generally safe, but at busy times staff could become task focused and had less time to spend with people. The manager was considering an additional shift.

“However, at busier times such as lunchtime staff were not always able to spend time with people and they were task driven.” from the report