The service has a new provider and a recently appointed registered manager. This report therefore reflects current management systems and processes, which will be reported on fully at the next inspection.Our inspection team was made up of an inspector, and an inspection manager. The focus of the inspection was to answer five key questions; is the service safe, effective, caring, responsive and well led?
Below is a summary of what we found. The summary describes what people using the service, their relatives and staff told us, what we observed and the records we looked at.
If you want to see the evidence supporting our summary please read the full report.
Is the service safe?
There were appropriate management systems in place. This meant that the managers and staff could monitor and learn from events such as accidents and incidents, complaints, concerns, whistleblowing and investigations. This reduced the risks to people and helped the service to continuously improve.
The service had policies and procedures in place in relation to the Mental Capacity Act and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS). The provider knew how to request an assessment if this was required. Staff received safeguarding and Mental Capacity Act training. This meant people would be safeguarded as required.
When people were identified as being at risk, their care plans showed the actions that would be required to manage these risks. These included appropriate referrals to other health and social care professionals such as dentists, opticians, occupational therapy and dieticians.
People were protected from the risk of unsafe or unsuitable premises because the provider had taken appropriate measures to maintain the premises.
There were sufficient care staff to respond to people's health and welfare needs.
Is the service effective?
People's health and care needs were assessed with them, and they were involved in developing their plans of care.
Suitable arrangements were in place for staff to receive updated training to ensure they had the skills, knowledge and experience to meet the needs of people who used the service. This ensured that the outcomes for people would continue to improve.
The activities organiser was knowledgeable about methods she could use to engage people and to support people to continue their interests and hobbies.
Is the service caring?
We saw staff were kind and respectful when speaking with or supporting people.
People looked well cared for and we observed good care practices taking place. We observed the lunchtime experience and saw that staff were calm and unhurried and they spent time with people.
Is the service responsive?
People's needs were met in accordance with their wishes.
People using the service and families were provided with information about the home so they would understand the care, treatment and support choices available to them and who to speak to if they were upset or worried.
One family member said, "I can speak with the manager and discuss any issues; the home has improved beyond recognition in the past few months."
We saw evidence that people's experiences were taken into account in the way that activities were provided. For example, people were supported to access the garden. This meant that people had experiences that were stimulating and meaningful.
When we visited we saw a staff team that acted professionally and responded appropriately to people's care needs. People were being assisted promptly and we saw that the staff had time to spend socialising and engaging with people.
Is the service well-led?
Effective management systems were in place to promote people's safety and welfare. The owner and manager spoke about dementia care with real commitment and understanding and were committed to improving the quality of care.
The owner is an experienced business man who understands the financial aspects of social care provision and who has given assurance of financial viability.
The manager was familiar with the Care Quality Commission, its regulations and processes, and with her role and responsibilities. She was confident that the staff team can bring about real improvements. This was confirmed by staff who said they felt supported to do their jobs well. Comments we received included, 'I feel really valued and part of a team since the new people started here,' and 'I only came to work here for a short while but I can't imagine working anywhere else now.'
The service had a quality assurance system, and records showed that identified problems and opportunities to change things for the better had been addressed promptly. As a result we could see that the quality of the service was continuously improving.