A single inspector carried out this inspection. The focus of the inspection was to gather evidence to answer five questions; Is the service safe? Is the service effective? Is the service caring? Is the service responsive? Is the service well led?During this inspection we spoke with four people who used the service and three relatives of people who used the service. We also spoke with five members of staff who included the Registered Manager, care staff and domestic staff.
Below is a summary of what we found. The summary describes what people using the service, their relatives and the staff told us, what we observed and the records we looked at. If you want to see the evidence that supports our summary please read the full report.
Is the service safe?
Four people who used the service told us that they felt safe in the home and that staff treated people with respect and dignity. One person told us, 'Staff are respectful and my privacy is respected'. Another person told us, 'Staff talk to me politely and respectfully. They listen to me and ask what I would like'.
Relatives of people told us that they were confident that people living in the home were safe. One relative told us, 'I trust the staff very much. The home is very safe'.
Safeguarding procedures were comprehensive. We saw evidence that the majority of staff had received safeguarding training. When we discussed safeguarding with staff, they were aware of the signs of abuse and the action to take when responding to allegations or incidents of abuse. Staff were also aware that they could report allegations to the local authority, police and the Care Quality Commission.
CQC monitors the operation of the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards which applies to care homes. While no applications have been submitted, appropriate policies and procedures were in place.
Staff were well supported by management so that they delivered care and treatment safely to people to an appropriate standard.
The service had systems in place to identify assess and manage risks related to health welfare and safety of people who used the service. Care records contained risk assessments which provided guidance to staff on actions to take to keep people safe.
Is the service effective?
People we spoke with said that they were satisfied with the care provided in the home and felt that people's needs had been met. One person said, 'I am well looked after here' and another said, 'It's good here. It is a good place'.
Relatives were positive about staff and said that they were helpful and listened to them. One relative told us, "The care is fantastic' and another relative said, 'I am impressed with the care'.
We looked at four care files and saw that people's care needs had been assessed and care and treatment were planned and delivered in line with their individual care plan. Risk assessments had been carried out where necessary. Care plans included information about people's preferred routines and healthcare needs.
All the staff we spoke with told us that they were well supported by the Registered Manager and that there was good communication amongst staff. This enabled them to carry out their roles effectively, which in turn had an impact on the quality of care people received.
Staff had received appropriate training to meet the needs of the people living in the home.
Staff, family members, healthcare and social care professionals were involved in decisions about people's care and we saw evidence of this. Relatives of people who used the service told us that they were kept informed about people's progress.
Is the service caring?
People we spoke with were positive about the staff at the home. They told us that staff treated them with respect and dignity.
During our inspection we spent a significant amount of time observing people and staff. We found that people who used the service approached staff without hesitation and people appeared comfortable around members of staff. There was good interaction between staff and people. People looked well cared for and we saw that the atmosphere was relaxed in the home. We saw that care staff were patient and supported people to meet their needs.
Staff we spoke with said that they were aware that they should treat all people with respect and dignity and were able to give us examples to demonstrate how they ensured this.
Is the service responsive?
People who used the service and relatives we spoke with told us that if they had any concerns or complaints, they would feel comfortable raising them with staff or the management at the home.
We saw that the home had a complaints policy and procedure. We looked at the results of a quality assurance survey that had been carried out in 2013. The results indicated that people were satisfied with the care provided.
People's care and health progress was monitored closely. People's care plans and their health needs were regularly reviewed.
Is the service well-led?
The home had quality assurance processes in place to help ensure that people received a good quality service.
People who used the service told us that staff and the Registered Manager listened to them.
Resident's meetings took place quarterly and enabled people to discuss issues regarding the running of the home. This encouraged people to raise queries and concerns with management and members of staff.
Staff told us that staff meetings took place every two months and we saw evidence that staff received regular supervisions from management. This enabled staff to raise queries and concerns and discuss their progress.
All staff we spoke with told us that they felt able to consult the Registered Manager if they had concerns or queries and said that they felt supported. Staff were positive about working at the home. One member of staff told us, 'Everybody is very supportive. I can ask lots of questions. Everyone is very approachable'. Another member of staff said 'I am very happy here. The manager is very good and supportive.' Staff training and supervision records showed that staff received appropriate training and support.