The inspection team who carried out this inspection consisted of an adult social care inspector and an expert by experience. During the inspection, the team worked together to answer five key questions; is the service safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led?Is the service safe?
We observed staff assisted people with their needs in the ways that were identified in their risk assessments and care records. For example staff were observed following safe practices when they assisted people with their mobility needs. Care plans and risk assessments demonstrated that risks were identified and preventative actions that kept people safe were in place. There were also risk assessments that identified environmental hazards that may impact on people's health and safety.
Systems were in place to make sure that managers and staff learned from events such as accidents and incidents, complaints, concerns, and investigations. However the analysis of accidents and incidents was not being carried out consistently. This lack of consistent analysis meant there was a risk people may not always receive care that is safe and suitable for them.
Is the service effective?
The people we spoke with had positive views to share with us about life at the home and the way they were treated by the staff who supported them. Examples of comments peoples told us included 'the staff are wonderful and can't do enough for us', 'the staff make this place' and 'they are all so attentive and kind'.
We observed staff assisted people with their needs. Staff were attentive in manner when they assisted people. We saw that staff anticipated the needs of people who were not able to make the views known. For example when a people maybe thirsty and hungry, and whether people were comfortable in the chair they were sat.
We saw that menus were planned, based on people's personal preferences. The people who we spoke with expressed positive views about the meals served at the home. . One person told us the food was 'lovely' and there is always plenty of it'. Another person told us the food was 'wonderful like home cooking'.
Staff told us they were informally supported in their work and overall performance by senior staff. This was to assist them to support people effectively. However the system of formal staff supervision had not been kept up to date. The lack of an up to date staff supervision system meant staff were not consistently provided with suitable support, to ensure people received effective care.
Is the service caring?
People who used the service and relatives had generally positive views of the staff who assisted them with their needs. Examples of comments made included, 'the staff make this place' and 'they have been fantastic I can't fault any one of them', and 'they are all wonderful'.
We saw that people were assisted with their needs by staff who demonstrated by their manner and approach with people that they were caring and attentive to them. We also heard staff encouraged people to make choices in their daily life. For example, we heard staff ask people what time they wanted to be assisted with their needs and how they were feeling. We also heard staff ask people what meal choices they wanted for lunch.
Is the service responsive?
We saw that there were social and therapeutic activities held in the home. The times of certain activities were flexible to ensure activities took place at times that suited people. Also more activities had been arranged for people who may experience memory loss due to dementia type illnesses.
People who were staying in the respite service in the home were assisted with their recovery by physiotherapists and occupational therapists from a community health service. The community health care organisation worked closely with people who received a rehabilitation service. This was to support and assess their needs.
We saw that people had their call bells in reach if they needed to call for staff assistance. We heard people rang their call bells and staff answered them without an unreasonable time delay.
Is the service well-led?
The home has been open since February 2014 and the current manager has been registered with us since May 2014. They demonstrated during the inspection that they were committed to improving standards in the home. They also demonstrated that they were open and transparent in their approach to the running of the home. They were assisted in their role as registered manager by a senior manager who worked for the provider. To provide additional support to the manager the senior manager had now based themselves at the home.