Norton Lees Hall & Lodge

“There appeared to be sufficient staff available to meet people's needs. However, we saw care staff carrying out numerous non-care duties, which impacted on the support people received. All staff we spoke with raised concerns regarding staffing levels. They were expected to do cleaning, meal service, clearing and laying tables and some laundry duties. Staff told us staffing levels were not suitable to keep people safe. Staff did not always encourage people to maximise their independence and promote their health and well-being. We saw staff lacked direction; were task orientated and did not always work together as a team.”

“There was lack of governance and oversight, which had not identified shortfalls. Staff did not feel listened to, respected or valued. Staff felt their wellbeing was not considered, and many told us they were very stressed and anxious due to the workload expected of them.”

“A new manager had been appointed, and a new operations manager was overseeing the service. They were both aware of all the issues we had identified and were developing a robust action plan, improved governance systems, supervision systems for staff, training and mentoring, and better communication to address the issues and drive improvements.”