St Vincent House - Gosport

This report summarises an inspection of St Vincent House, a residential care home. The inspection focused on how safe and well-led the service is. While residents and their relatives generally feel safe and well-supported by kind staff, the report highlights areas where improvements are needed to ensure consistent high-quality care and robust safety measures. The provider has taken immediate action on several points raised during the inspection.

On safety, while many aspects are in place, such as robust infection control, safe recruitment, and effective medicine administration, some care plans lacked sufficient detail regarding specific health needs and risks, like falls. The provider is taking immediate action to update these. There's also a need for better analysis of risks in communal areas and when people are moving independently within the home. Improvements are also required in recording the use of topical medicines and ensuring all staff understand when to request specific 'as and when required' medications.

In terms of how effective the care is, the report indicates that while staff know residents well and provide good support, care plans need further development to ensure all relevant information about individual risks and needs is consistently documented. The service is working within the principles of the Mental Capacity Act, though some assessments were found to be incomplete.

Regarding caring, residents and relatives consistently report feeling safe and well-supported by kind, attentive, and approachable staff. Staff demonstrate a good understanding of safeguarding responsibilities and know how to recognise and respond to residents' needs, contributing to a calm, friendly, and supportive atmosphere.

The service's responsiveness is demonstrated by the provider's commitment to person-centred care and their willingness to act on feedback. Management has been responsive to identified areas for improvement, taking prompt action to reduce risks during the inspection. Infection prevention and control measures are in place and align with current government guidance.

On how well-led the service is, there is a clear management structure and regular oversight from the provider. However, the service currently lacks a registered manager, although an application is in process. While the provider has governance systems to identify concerns, these have not always flagged all issues promptly. Improvements are needed in ensuring care records and risk assessments fully reflect actions taken after incidents, and that lessons learned are robustly documented. The provider and management team are open and committed to development.