The inspection of Somerset House took place on 9 and 10 June 2016 and was unannounced. At the previous inspection of Somerset House in September 2013, we found the home was meeting the requirements of the outcomes we assessed. Somerset House is a care home situated in Yatton. The home is registered to provide care for up to 26 older people. At the time of our inspection there were 18 people living at the home.
There was a registered manager in post. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Like registered providers, they are 'registered persons'. Registered persons have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.
People who lived at the home told us that they felt safe, and this was confirmed by family members we spoke with.
People were protected from the risk of abuse. Staff members had received training in safeguarding, and were able to demonstrate their understanding of what this meant for the people they were supporting. They were also knowledgeable about their role in ensuring people were safe and that concerns were reported appropriately.
Medicines at the home were well managed. People's medicines were stored, managed and given to them appropriately. Records of medicines were well maintained.
Staff at the home supported people in a caring and respectful way, and responded promptly to meet their needs and requests. There were enough staff members on duty to meet the physical and other needs of people living at the home.
People who chose to remain in their rooms for part of the day were regularly checked on.
Staff who worked at the home received regular relevant training and were knowledgeable about their roles and responsibilities. Appropriate checks took place as part of the recruitment process to ensure that staff were suitable for the work that they would be undertaking.
All staff members received regular supervision from the manager or senior carer, and those staff we spoke with told us they felt well supported.
The home was meeting the requirements of The Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA). Staff members had received training in MCA and DoLS, and were able to describe their roles and responsibilities in relation to supporting people who lacked capacity to make decisions.
People's nutritional needs were well met. Meals were nutritionally balanced and met individual health and cultural requirements as outlined in people's care plans. Alternatives were offered where required, and drinks and snacks were offered to people throughout the day.
People's food and liquid intake was recorded and monitored.
Care plans and risk assessments were person centred and provided guidance for staff about how they should work with people to meet their needs. Daily records of people's care were well maintained. Effective systems were in place to share information between outgoing and incoming staff at shift changes.
The home provided a range of individual and group activities for people to participate in throughout the week. Staff members engaged people supportively in participation in activities.
People's cultural and religious needs were supported.
People and their family members we spoke with knew how to complain.
Care documentation showed that people's health needs were regularly reviewed. The home liaised with health professionals to ensure that people received the support that they needed.
There were systems in place to review and monitor the quality of the service, and we saw action plans had been put in place and addressed where there were concerns. Policies and procedures were up to date and staff members were required to sign that they had read and understood any new or amended ones.
People who used the service, their relatives and staff members spoke positively about the management of the home.