This inspection was carried out by one inspector. We met with twelve people who used the service and observed their experiences of care to support our inspection. We spoke with the registered manager, five care and nursing staff, five relatives and three health care professionals. In this report the name of a registered manager appears who was not managing the regulatory activities at this location at the time of the inspection. Thier name appears because they were still a registered manager on our register at the time.
We considered our inspection findings to answer questions we always ask:-
' Is the service safe?
' Is the service effective?
' Is the service caring?
' Is the service responsive?
' Is the service well-led?
Below is a summary of what we found. If you want to see the evidence that supports our summary, please read the full report.
Is the service safe?
People were cared for in an environment that was clean and hygienic. People told us that they were happy living at the home and were supported to remain independent as safely as possible. They also told us that their needs were met because staff supported them to do the things they wanted to do.
Appropriate risk assessments were in place, and the registered manager had suitable arrangements to safeguard people from foreseeable emergencies.
People told us that they felt safe living at the home and their relatives confirmed this. We saw safeguarding procedures were in place and that staff understood how to safeguard the people that they supported. People were protected against the use of unlawful or excessive control or restraint because the provider had made suitable arrangements.
There were regular inspections and audits completed to make sure that the building and procedures were maintained and further improved and provided a safe environment for people to live in.
Is the service effective?
All of the people we spoke with and their relatives or carers, told us that they were happy with the care that was delivered and their needs were met. It was clear from our observations and from speaking with staff that they (staff) had a good understanding of people's care and support needs and that they knew them well, which meant that people received an effective service. Staff had received training to meet the needs of the people who lived at the home.
The provider had recently implemented a new dementia quality monitoring tool to check the effectiveness of staff and procedures when working with people who had dementia. The service obtained a score of four out of six which was above average in the overall grade. This meant that the provider had tailored a particular audit to support them in providing a further improved service for people with dementia who lived at the home.
Is the service caring?
We asked twelve people if they had any concerns about the care provided by the home and they told us that were happy with the care provided and that the staff were caring. One relative told us, 'I could not find a better home.'
Observations during the visit showed staff were compassionate and caring to the people they supported. The home was busy during the day with many visitors attending and we found positive interactions taking place and staff responding in a thoughtful and kind manner to people who lived at the home and also to visitors.
Is the service responsive?
Information was collected by the service with regard to the person's ability and level of independence. Regular reviews were carried out with the person who used the service and their representative to make sure the person's care and support needs had not changed. This helped ensure staff supplied the correct amount of care and support.
Information collected by the service also gave staff an insight into the interests, likes and dislikes and areas of importance to the people in their care. This meant that it helped staff to provide social activities that people could choose to be involved with.
Regular meetings took place with staff to discuss the running of the service and to ensure the service was responsive in meeting the changing needs of people who used the service.
People who lived at the home held regular meetings with staff to discuss their views on living at the home. This meant that people were involved in communications about the running of the home and staff listened and took action. People we spoke with confirmed they felt that they were listened to and knew who to contact if they had a problem.
Is the service well-led?
People who used the service had regular contact from the registered manager and other senior staff to check their wellbeing. The quality of service provided by care givers was monitored and this was done through quality audits and also through meetings arranged with the people who used the service.
Staff were knowledgeable about the support needs of people and the services ethos of maintaining safe independence and involvement of the person whatever their level of need.
One relative told us that they were kept regularly updated by the staff team if any changes occurred. The relative told us, 'Staff ring me if I need to be made aware of anything, they are very good.'