Ty Alarch, on Park Terrace, Merthyr Tydfil, is a six bed community rehabilitation service for women who have been able to progress through the hospital pathway at Cygnet St Teilo House, a mental health service in Rhymney.
Inspectors completed an unannounced inspection on 20 October and the Cygnet Health Care service received positive feedback from the regulator, with no areas of non-compliance identified. The inspection focused on four key areas; wellbeing, care and support, environment and leadership and management.
Praising the focus on wellbeing, inspectors said residents are encouraged to make their own decisions around their care.
“Positive feedback from people indicate care staff treat them with dignity and respect which supports their overall wellbeing,” the report read.
“Care staff encourage choice which means people can decide how and where they spend their time. People are able to positively occupy their day and can do things that matter to them.
“People tell us decisions such as diet, activities, and daily schedules are flexible. Staff appear caring and approachable, and people feel their individuality is recognised and supported.
“People’s interests are recognised, and activities are adapted to suit individual preferences.”
As part of the inspection, residents gave positive feedback about the service with comments such as;
- “It’s nice here, staff are great I have a lot of freedom”
- “Staff are good they can all take a joke, I feel settled here”
- “Staff are lovely and really friendly”
A number of care staff at the service spoke to inspectors and said they enjoy working for the service and feel listened to. Comments included;
- “We all work well as a team”
- “Everyone gets on here, it’s a very chilled nice atmosphere”
- “I love my job, I love it here”
- “The manager is really supportive”
Inspectors noted that staffing levels are sufficient to meet individual needs and staff support people to remain as independent as possible, assisting them to develop new skills if they wish.
Describing the environment as safe and “pleasant and well maintained”, inspectors added: “We saw communal areas are bright homely and inviting. Bedrooms are personalised to reflect people’s interests and personality.”
Paula Evans, Ty Alarch’s Service Manager, said she was delighted with the feedback from the inspection.
She said: “Myself and my team love supporting our service users, seeing them excel and become ready to live independently in the community.
“Staff at the service are focused on empowering individuals to continue to develop key life skills and further coping mechanisms, and I am so proud that their hard work and compassionate care was highlighted by inspectors.
“We strive to make Ty Alarch feel like a home away from home and hearing the feedback from service users is an incredible feeling. I couldn’t be prouder of the team and the standards we have set for ourselves here.
“We care so deeply for each other and our service users and that is reflected in the support we are able to provide to the women in our care.”
Inspectors also highlighted that medication is stored safely and administered as prescribed and that policies and procedures are kept up to date.
They said staff benefit from regular supervision and training and there are systems in place to monitor the quality of care provided to people.
The full report can be viewed here.