Archived: Murreyfield House

At the last inspection in January 2015 the service was rated Good. At this inspection we found the service remained Good.

People who lived at the home told us they were content and felt with the staff who looked after them. We observed staff providing support for people throughout our inspection visit. We found they were kind and patient and this was confirmed by people we spoke with.

We found by looking at appropriate documentation and talking with staff they had been recruited safely, received ongoing training relevant to their role and supported by the registered manager. They had the skills, knowledge and experience required to support people in their care. Staffing levels were sufficient to meet the needs of people who lived at the home.

Risk assessments had been developed to minimise the potential risk of harm to people during the delivery of their care. Care records showed they were reviewed and any changes were recorded.

We looked around the building and found it had been maintained, was clean and hygienic and a safe place for people to live. We found equipment had been serviced and maintained as required

Medicines had been checked on receipt into the home, given as prescribed and stored and disposed of correctly. We looked at medication administration records of people who lived at Murreyfield House and found them to be correct and up to date.

People are supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff support them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service support this practice.

People told us they had choices of meals and there were always alternatives if they didn’t want what was on offer. We confirmed this by our observations at lunchtime. Care records we looked at described people’s food preferences and any allergies. Comments were positive about the quality of food and included, “We get plenty and fortunately we have good cooks.”

People who lived at the home told us staff and the registered manager had a caring and supportive manner. Comments from people who lived at the home included, “The staff make me feel I'm at home here. They are very friendly and we like to have a laugh together.”

The registered manager had a complaints procedure which was made available to people on their admission to the home and their relatives. No complaints had been received. People who lived at the home told us they were aware of the who to talk with if they had any concerns.

The registered manager used a variety of methods to assess and monitor the quality of the service. These included regular audits, staff and ‘resident’ meetings to seek their views about the service provided.

Staff we spoke with confirmed training had taken place in December 2013 and were also able to explain the procedures for recording and notifying the management of incidents. Senior care staff we spoke with told us, 'Carers also have a duty to report incidents and they are aware that if an incident occurs, they notify a senior or the manager immediately.'

We looked at cleaning schedules which were completed daily and a 'monthly turn out' which ensured a deeper clean of people's rooms, facilities and other areas. We found that cleaning equipment in the domestic's room such as mops were stored correctly.

We saw there were two main lounges on the first floor which were quiet, warm and comfortable. We saw that rooms were personalised with pictures, ornaments or furniture owned by the people that used the service. This showed the service promoted people's independence and supported their daily living activities.

We looked at records provided by the manager that confirmed all essential training was either up to date or being currently planned. The manager told us, "Each staff members' training record is now identified in a matrix and that quickly identifies when training is due for review."

The manager told us that a complaint had not been made since 2011 and we saw records that confirmed this. A visiting relative we spoke with told us, 'I have never needed to complain about anything' and "The manager listens to us and they do the best that they can.'

People told us that they were looked after very well and that staff were very nice. They said they had activities to do if they wanted but could sit quietly and not get involved as well. One person who was having respite care in the home wanted to move in permanently because she thought it was so nice and that the staff were very good.

People said that they felt safe in the home. Some comments were, "They look after you here",and "They are a nice lot, a lovely lot" and another said "I think it's lovely, you get better looked after here."