As part of our inspection we spoke with two people in depth about their care and treatment at the service. We also spoke with six other people briefly about their experiences of using the service. We spoke with two relatives, the manager, the area development manager and five staff working at the service. We observed people receiving support and looked at the support plans for six people. Below is a summary of what we found.
Is the service safe?
People who we spoke with told us that they felt safe and they liked the staff. One person said, 'I like it here. The staff are nice.' Assessments of any potential risks to people had been carried out and measures put in place to reduce the risks. This meant that people were protected from the risk of harm. People were also protected from the risk of abuse as staff showed that they had received training in this area and were clear about their responsibilities to recognise and report any concerns.
Relatives we spoke with said they were confident to raise any concerns or complaints they had with the manager.
The provider had a system in place to demonstrate that they had given consideration to whether each person using the service had the capacity to make decisions about their day to day care under the Mental Capacity Act (2005). The Mental Capacity Act is a law which requires an assessment to be made to determine whether a person can make a specific decision at the time it needs to be made. It also requires that any decision made on someone's behalf is recorded, including the reasons why it has been made, how the person's wishes have affected the decision and how they were involved in the decision making process.
Is the service effective?
People we spoke with told us, and our observations confirmed, that people were happy living at Lime Court. The majority of staff we spoke with told us they enjoyed their job. It was clear from our observations, and from our conversations with staff and the manager, that staff knew people's needs well.
People were supported to be able to eat and drink sufficient amounts to meet their needs. People were provided with a choice of suitable and nutritious food and drink.
Support plans in people's care records gave staff detailed guidance about the ways in which each person preferred to be supported.
Staff worked closely with professional health staff to ensure that people's needs were met by staff with the most appropriate knowledge, skills and experience.
There were effective recruitment and selection processes in place. Appropriate checks were undertaken before staff began work.
Is the service caring?
We saw that people related well with the staff who treated them with kindness and in a friendly manner. One of the staff we spoke with said, 'I really enjoy working here.' We observed that people's individual requests were listened to and that staff spoke to people and responded to them in a respectful way. One person said, 'The staff are kind.' One person's relative said, 'My family member is very happy here. Everything is excellent.'
Is the service responsive?
People's care and support needs were regularly re-assessed by the management team and the staff at the service. Support plans included people's preferences and their likes and dislikes to ensure that care and support were provided in a way they wanted them to be. We saw that when people's health needs and nutritional health needs changed, staff were able to respond to their needs to ensure an appropriate response.
Is the service well led?
The majority of staff told us they felt well supported by the management team. One person said, 'The manager is firm but fair. They are approachable and you get a positive response from them.' The staff we spoke with told us they were trained to do their job.
People we spoke with who lived in the service, and relatives, told us they felt the service was well-managed. The provider had effective quality assurance and audit systems in place to monitor all aspects of the service and ensure improvements were made where necessary.