Working at Birch House

No real activities programme or coordinator, so the role is mostly routine tasks like choosing meals and laundry with few outings or stimulation.

There is a lack of opportunities and stimulation for people. People’s worlds are getting smaller and smaller

Staff skills vary a lot, some are great at engaging people but others spend time chatting instead of supporting.

Relatives told us there were enough staff to support people including on a one to one or two to one basis. However, there were mixed views about the effectiveness and skills of the staff team. Comments included, “Staff spend a lot of time sitting around the table or sofa talking to each other”

Only standard training with gaps in skills for personalised support, no specialist development mentioned.

Staff had ongoing training but some staff were more skilled than others in supporting people