Withins (Breightmet) Limited

This report details the findings from a recent inspection of Withins (Breightmet) Limited, a residential care home. The inspection focused on assessing the safety and leadership of the service, with the aim of understanding how effectively the home is run and how well residents are protected. The report provides insights into various aspects of care provision, including risk management, medication handling, staff training, and overall governance.

In terms of how safe the service is, there are ongoing concerns regarding medication management, with inconsistencies in administration records and a lack of thorough risk assessment for topical preparations. While staff are trained in safeguarding and understand how to protect residents from abuse, and robust pre-employment checks are in place, the safe management of medicines remains an area needing significant improvement.

Regarding the effectiveness of the care provided, residents receive person-centred support that upholds their dignity and human rights. Staff are noted to promote equality and diversity, providing culturally appropriate care. Residents feel well-treated and respected, with their individual needs and communication preferences being well understood and addressed. The home also offers opportunities for residents to engage in tailored activities that enrich their lives.

On the aspect of caring, residents experience kind and compassionate support from staff who know them well. They feel respected, their privacy is protected, and their views are considered when agreeing on support plans. Staff are well-trained to recognise and report abuse, and they work collaboratively with other agencies to ensure resident safety. Care plans are comprehensive and contribute to residents' overall well-being and enjoyment of life.

In relation to how responsive the service is, residents are supported to have maximum choice and control over their lives, with staff acting in their best interests. People can pursue their interests and aspirations, and they have control over their living environment, including personalising their rooms. The service engages residents and their families in care planning and regularly evaluates the quality of support provided.

Finally, concerning how well-led the service is, the registered manager and staff foster a positive and supportive culture within the home, which residents and relatives generally speak highly of. There is an ethos of continuous improvement, though more robust systems are needed for monitoring medication safety. Communication with relatives is generally good, and the service demonstrates an understanding of its duty of candour, learning from incidents and sharing information appropriately.