This inspection took place on 21 February 2016 and was unannounced.

Abbotsbury Residential Home is a residential care home registered to provide care to 32 older people, some of whom may be living with dementia. At the time of our inspection there were 29 people using the service including five respite placements.

At the last inspection in March 2015 the service was rated good. At this inspection we found the service remained good.

People were kept safe from avoidable harm and staff understood the process to follow to safeguard people if they needed to report any concerns. There were comprehensive risk assessments in place to detail ways in which risks could be appropriately managed. People had care plans in place which detailed their backgrounds, preferences and the level of support they required. People were kept stimulated and had opportunities to enjoy activities and hobbies in and out of the home.

People had a choice of food and were positive about the quality of the meals provided to them. People’s healthcare needs had been identified and they were supported to access other healthcare professionals as needed. They were supported to make decisions impacting on their own care and were asked for their consent for the support provided. People’s views and feedback were used to make improvements within the service.

There were enough staff deployed to meet people’s needs safely.There was a system in place to ensure that staff recruited had the appropriate skills and experience and were of good character. Staff received regular supervision and appraisal and were positive about the quality of training available to them. We observed caring, patient and kind interactions between staff and people and evidence of strong relationships that enabled them to provide person-centred care. Staff were supported to contribute to the development of the service through team meetings.

The registered manager promoted a positive, person-centred culture and was committed to making continued improvements to the delivery of care. Regular audits were carried out to identify areas for improvement, and surveys and questionaires were sent out to gather views and suggestions. There was a system for handling and resolving complaints. There was evidence of strong links with the local community to provide opportunities for people.

This inspection took place on 22 January 2015 and was unannounced. At our previous inspection in May 2014 we found that staff did not have the appropriate knowledge of safeguarding people from the risk of abuse. At this inspection we found that the provider had taken steps to ensure staff had knowledge to ensure people were protected.

The home provides care and accommodation for up to 32 older people, some of whom may be living with dementia or have a physical disability. It is required to have a registered manager. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) 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 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run. The registered manager left the home in August 2014 and an interim manager was in post at the time of our inspection who told us they were in the process of making their application to become the registered manager. People found the interim manager to be visible and approachable.

People were safe at the home. People had been involved in determining their care needs and the way in which their care was to be delivered. Their consent was gained before any care was provided and staff encouraged them to be as independent as possible.

People had a good choice of nutritious food and drinks. They were assisted to access other healthcare professionals to maintain their health and well-being and there were effective processes in place to manage their medicines. Information was available to people about the services provided at the home and how they could make a complaint should they need to.

People were supported to follow their interests and hobbies.

Personalised risk assessments were in place to reduce the risk of harm to people, as were risk assessments connected to the running of the home and these were reviewed regularly. Accidents and incidents were recorded and the causes of these analysed so that preventative action could be taken to reduce the number of occurrences. There was an effective complaints policy in place and complaints were responded to quickly.

There were enough skilled, qualified staff to provide for people’s needs. The necessary recruitment and selection processes were in place and the provider had taken steps to ensure that staff were suitable to work with people who lived at the home.

Staff were aware of the safeguarding process. They were trained and supported by way of supervisions and appraisals. They were kind and caring and protected people’s dignity. They treated people with respect.

People, their relatives and staff were encouraged to attend meetings with the manager at which they could discuss aspects of the service and care delivery. There was an effective quality assurance system in place. The requirements of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and associated Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards were met.