Puttenham Hill House Care Home

Puttenham Hill House Care Home provides residential and nursing care for up to 30 older people, including those with dementia or physical disabilities. This report details an inspection conducted on 23 August 2021. Overall, the service requires improvement, with specific areas noted across its safety, effectiveness, and leadership. While the home has made efforts in some aspects of care, there are significant concerns that need addressing to ensure the well-being of residents.

Regarding safety, while recruitment practices are robust, the home struggles with sufficient staffing levels, leading to delays in care and residents being left for extended periods. This has resulted in issues like incontinence and skin irritations. Some risk assessments were not up-to-date with current resident needs, and there were concerns about the accurate monitoring of nutrition and hydration. On a more positive note, staff are aware of safeguarding procedures, feel safe with the current staff, and infection control measures are well-managed. Medicines are administered safely, and there are plans in place for emergencies like fire.

In terms of how effective the care is, newly employed staff require a more comprehensive induction, particularly agency staff, to ensure they are familiar with residents' specific needs before beginning their duties. While clinical staff receive regular essential training, other staff also benefit from role-specific updates. Staff support for professional development is present through supervisions. However, mealtimes are often rushed, preventing staff from adequately supporting residents to eat and drink, and meals can become cold. Consent for care is generally sought, and capacity assessments are in place when needed, with family involvement. The premises are adapted to meet resident needs.

The service's responsiveness is indicated by people having opportunities to provide feedback on their care preferences, and staff are generally kind and caring. Residents have access to healthcare professionals. However, the report highlights risks related to social isolation and the need for adequate nutrition and hydration, suggesting a need for more tailored support.

Finally, concerning how well-led the service is, there is a failure to maintain robust oversight and quality assurance by the provider, leading to a deterioration in care standards since the last inspection. While there are systems to learn from incidents, the overall management effectiveness needs significant improvement. The provider has provided action plans to address identified concerns, and their implementation will be monitored.