Blossoms

“People can only be deprived of their liberty to receive care and treatment with appropriate legal authority. In care homes, this can be done through a procedure called the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS), which is part of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA). We checked whether the service was working within the principles of the MCA and how they managed DoLS within the service. We found that staff and management worked within the MCA. DoLS authorisations were appropriately applied for and overseen. People were not subject to unlawful or excessive restrictions they had choice, control and freedom over their lives.”

“We found the provider had a consistent staff team, whose ethos reflected the values of the provider. There was a focus on empowerment for people and staff were supported to develop within their roles as well. One staff member told us, “Generally, we assume they can do, until it’s proven they can’t.””

“Medicines were managed safely, and risks were mitigated and managed effectively. Staff told us that training, care plans and risk assessments were informative and enabled them to do their jobs well. One staff member told us, in relation to care plans and risk assessments, “They are robust. Every aspect of their life is in there.””

“The provider had good oversight of the service, through regular presence and auditing systems and processes.”

“The provider worked with external professionals when needed, and embedded advice and guidance into people’s care. Staff had good knowledge of people’s individual needs, preferences and wishes.”

“People and relatives spoke highly of the staff team, and overall, the feedback in relation to leadership was positive too, however, some relatives felt some managers were not always approachable. The provider shared with us their plans to reflect and work on this.”