Paul Murphy Centre

On this page

• Overview
• Kindness, compassion and dignity
• Treating people as individuals
• Independence, choice and control
• Responding to people’s immediate needs
• Workforce wellbeing and enablement

Caring – this means we looked for evidence that the provider involved people and treated them with compassion, kindness, dignity and respect. At our last assessment we rated this key question good. At this assessment the rating has changed to requires improvement. This meant not every effort was made to ensure people were supported to live as independently as possible. The provider was in breach of legal regulation in relation to person-centred care.

This service scored 75 (out of 100) for this area. Find out what we look at when we assess this area and How we calculate these scores.

Staff treated people with kindness. We observed caring interactions between staff and people staying at the home which included appropriate humour. We observed people recognised staff and were at ease in staff’s presence. We observed staff responded promptly to people for example, when someone needed assistance to the bathroom or if a person appeared to be in discomfort. Family and friends visited their relation and spent time with them at and away from the home. A staff member told us, “Staff are friendly and get on with clients. I treat clients as if they are a member of my own family. With respect and although they can’t speak back, they understand you.”

The provider did not always treat people as individuals or made sure they took into account of people’s strengths, abilities, aspirations, culture and unique backgrounds and protected characteristics. People were treated with dignity and respect; however, the provider had failed to ensure people’s personal, cultural, social, religious and communication needs were understood. The provider had not worked with people to identify goals and aspirations and there were no plans in place to promote people’s independence and plan for their future. One person often spent time in their bedroom and was quite isolated. We raised this with the provider, who told us, it was the individual’s personal choice. There was no evidence the person was encouraged to join in group activities or have one-to-one-time with staff. A monthly day trip activity was available for everyone and there were some interactive activities for people who spent time out of their wheelchairs. Staff told us people played with toys, went for drives or walks and listened to music. One staff member told us, “We let [people] choose what they want, it is their choice. What’s in their best interests. After dinner, we sit down and give choices. What they want to watch on TV.” A person’s representative told us, “There are no activities. They went to Blackpool once, but they don’t do regular activities.” Staff were aware of people’s communication needs but did not always use the strategies or equipment the person had been provided with to promote effective communication. Three people used either an electronic communication device or a picture communication system to promote their communication. These communication tools were used at educational establishments or away from the home but not actively while people stayed at the home. Staff told us, people refused to use them at the Paul Murphy Centre, and we found the use of the communication aids were not being promoted.

The provider did not always promote people’s independence, so people did not always know their rights and have choice and control over their own care, treatment and wellbeing. People were involved in monthly meetings at the home. However, it was difficult to understand how people had contributed to the meetings due to their communication differences and where there had been no advocates in attendance. The meeting minutes recorded people had no concerns in relation to health and safety and when discussing activities, 2 people were recorded as not participating in activities and 2 people were recorded as liking their activity planner. The home celebrated events such as birthdays, Christmas and other special days. People enjoyed joining in parties held at the home. The provider was supporting people to maintain relationships with their families.

The provider listened to and understood people’s needs, views and wishes. Staff responded to people’s needs in the moment and acted to minimise any discomfort, concern or distress. We observed people were comforted when they became distressed. Staff communicated verbally to people and told us, if a person was unwell, the signs would be a temperature, crying, redness or some people would point to a painful area on their body. We found any concerns in relation to people’s health were reported to the appropriate professionals.

The provider cared about and promoted the wellbeing of their staff and supported and enabled staff to always deliver person-centred care. Staff felt valued and supported by the registered manager. Staff told us they received regular breaks and had access to a rest area. Staff felt they could raise any concerns with the registered manager without fear of reprisals.