Positive reports for care homes in Walls and Whalsay
TWO SHETLAND care homes have been given positive reports by visiting inspectors following surprise visits this month.
Wastview in Walls and Fernlea in Whalsay were both praised by Care Inspectorate Scotland after their inspectors visited the settings last week.
Inspectors looked at both the care homes and the support services offered at each care home, with Fernlea and Wastview offering daycare on certain days of the week.
Wastview’s support service was rated as “very good” in terms of its support of people’s wellbeing, and “good” for its leadership, staff team, setting and its planning of care and support.
The service supports a maximum of 12 people three days a week, with four people using the service when inspectors visited unannounced on Monday 7 September.
Care Inspectorate Scotland said they found “significant strengths in aspects of the care provided” and how these supported positive outcomes for people.
It said the service was “clean, tidy and welcoming”, with “lots of people’s arts and craft work around to make it feel very homely”.
“People spoke positively about the staff team and felt that they were approachable and responsive,” inspectors said.
While the service had been hindered by a staff vacancy, a new member of staff was planned which would leave them “in a better position” in future.
The vacancy had meant that a staff member from the Wastview care home had been required to help support the service.
The care home at Wastview was rated as “good” for its leadership, staff team and its support of people’s wellbeing, with a surprise visit taking place between 6 and 7 September.
Nine people were using the care and respite service at the time.
Inspectors found that people living in the care home and their families were happy with the care and support, with one person calling the care “brilliant”.
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“People living in the care home and staff benefited from a warm atmosphere because there were good working relationships,” inspectors said.
“People enjoyed their meals in an unhurried, relaxed atmosphere when and where they wanted to.”
The management team were thought of highly, with staff feeling confident giving feedback and raising concerns because “they knew that this would be welcomed and responded to in a spirit of partnership”.
Fernlea care home and support service in Whalsay was also visited by inspectors across two days, on 8 and 9 September last week.
The support service was based on the ground floor and provided care to a maximum of eight adults two days a week, with six people using the service when inspectors visited.
People using the service were “very happy with the care and support”, and experienced “warmth, kindness and compassion” from staff.
The service was rated as “very good” for its support of people’s wellbeing and its staff team, and “good” for its setting and planning of care and support.
Its leadership was rated as “adequate”.
One person told inspectors that they “love coming here” to Fernlea for the support service, with another saying it gives them “something to look forward to”.
“People were fully involved in making decisions about their physical and emotional wellbeing,” inspectors said.
“They decided how they were going to spend their time at the service each day. “Staff had a range of pre-planned and ad hoc activities to make each day interesting.
“They enjoyed a range of activities including poetry reading, Bookbug visits with the nursery children and had recently been involved in a short video for wool week called ‘Peerie Makers’.”
Leaders also ensured that, should the service be cancelled, people were still checked in with to ensure they were safe and would offer to bring them a hot meal.
Leaders ensured that should the service need to be cancelled for any reason, they would still check in with people to ensure that they were safe and would offer to bring out a hot meal.
The care home at Fernlea was also rated as “good” for its support of wellbeing and planning of care and support, and “adequate” for leadership.
It provides care and respite service for up to 10 people, with the care home full when inspectors visited last week.
People living in Fernlea and their families were “happy with the care and support” and were “respected and listened to”.“People living in the care home, and staff, benefited from a warm atmosphere because there were good working relationships across the care home,” inspectors said.
However, they said there should be a review of the tea-time menu “to ensure better variety”.
People also felt they would like more opportunities for “meaningful activity and engagement” to get out and about more.
Some folk felt that there was “no plan for activities to take place” or that there was a “lack of activities, entertainment, or even TV choice as often on repeat throughout the day”.
“On discussing this with the service, they explained that there was an issue with having a consistent internet connection, which effected the TV and was being looked at by the provider,” inspectors said.
An area of improvement about daily monitoring documents was also not met from a previous inspection, with Care Inspectorate Scotland saying these needed to be improved.
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