- Care home
Allonsfield House
Report from 22 November 2024 assessment
Contents
Ratings
Our view of the service
Date of assessment: 10 December 2024 to 15 January 2025. Allonsfield House is a residential nursing care home providing accommodation and personal care to up 53 older people in an adapted building across 3 units. Some people were living with dementia, frailty, and mental health conditions. 45 people were living there at the time of our assessment. This assessment was prompted by a review of information we held about the service and their previous rating of requires improvement. Our overall rating has changed from requires improvement to good. People were supported to have choice and control and were involved in decisions about their care and treatment, their views and preferences were listened to and acted upon. Staff treated people kindly and with respect. There were enough staff, safely recruited with the knowledge and skills to meet people’s needs. Staff understood how to report and escalate any concerns. People’s individual needs and associated risks were regularly assessed and monitored, with appropriate mitigating actions and management plans in place. People’s medicines were managed and administered safely. Activities provision had improved. People were supported to access the local community and pursue their hobbies and interests. A range of meaningful activities took place in the service alongside planned outings using the provider’s minibus. The registered manager was highly regarded by people, relatives and the staff team. Feedback was complimentary about their leadership style describing a ‘hands on, supportive approach’ and being ‘highly visible’ in the service. Staff said morale had increased. Improvements had been made to the oversight and governance processes in the service. Reporting and auditing systems had been strengthened, and this supported the registered manager in addressing identified shortfalls through an accompanying action plan. Feedback from professionals cited positive relationships with management and the staff team.
People's experience of this service
People shared positive experiences of living at the service supported by attentive staff who were compassionate and delivered person-centred care. They told us they felt safe and comfortable with the staff and were involved in their care and support arrangements. One person said. “I think it is a happy home. I feel settled and content here. Staff are kind, they check on me and stop for a chat. There is always something going on. I like the quizzes, crafts and when the animals visit us best. The food is top notch.” Relatives were satisfied with the quality of care provided and told us they were included in decision making if their family member was not always able. There were opportunities for people and relatives to share their views through surveys and meetings. People said they received person-centred care from knowledgeable and compassionate staff who treated them with dignity and respect. One person told us about the staff, “They are good people. I would soon tell them off if they were not, they are lovely.” All the interactions we observed were respectful, caring and kind. One relative said, “I think it is superb, staff are very friendly, surroundings nice, food looks fine.” Another relative told us, “Love the staff, they are like family, any problems they sort them out.” People said their relatives and friends were able to visit anytime and there were various communal meeting spaces they could use so visiting was not restricted to their own bedroom. People described the service as a “happy place,” and “warm and welcoming.” Established community links with local schools, church and village groups were in place, and people told us they were looking forward to the upcoming trip to a local school for a Christmas carol concert.