The inspection took place on 23 October 2014 and was unannounced.
The last inspection of this service was in November 2013 and no concerns were found
The service provides personal care for up to 14 people. When we visited there were 13 people living at the home and there was a registered manager. 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 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.
The home is located on the main road through Marchwood, with parking. The lounge and dining area occupy one large space which opens onto an accessible garden. The accommodation is over two floors and there is a passenger lift and stairs to the first floor. Some rooms have full en-suites and some have a toilet and a washbasin.
The home provided personalised care and the environment was homely and cheerful. People living at the home, their visitors and visiting health and social care professionals were all complimentary about the quality of care and the support provided by the registered manager and staff. There was a strong focus on understanding people’s life history and goals for living at the home.
People told us they felt safe and liked living at the home, and staff were kind and compassionate, treating people with respect and dignity. People’s safety was promoted through individualised risk assessments and the home had made provision for emergency situations.
Staff recruitment processes were robust and there were sufficient staff, with the right skills to care for people. Staff understood their roles and responsibilities in relation to providing care, and demonstrated a strong commitment to care for people in the way they wished. They were responsive to people’s specific needs and tailored care for each individual. Staff worked well as a team and were supported to develop their skills and acquire further qualifications.
People’s health needs were looked after, and medical advice and treatment was sought promptly. The home involved health and social care professionals when necessary, following their advice and guidance. This included making decisions on behalf of people when they lacked the mental capacity to make decisions for themselves about important matters.
The home aimed to enable people to maintain their independence and socialise freely as much as possible. The Care Quality Commission monitors the operation of the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards which applies to care homes and people were cared for without restrictions on their movement.
Governance systems were in place with regular audits of the service and from organisations such as the fire authority. The home implemented any recommendations or requirements to promote continuing improvements.