We carried out this inspection at Acacia Lodge on 24 April 2018. The inspection was unannounced.

Acacia Lodge is a 'care home'. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as single package under one contractual agreement. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

Acacia lodge accommodates 55 people in one adapted building. The service supports older people and younger adults with a range of conditions which includes people with physical disabilities an people living with dementia.

There was a registered manager in post. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission 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.

At the previous inspection on 16 December 2015 the service was rated at Good. At this inspection the service continued to be Good.

Throughout the inspection there was an extremely warm, cheerful and relaxed atmosphere. People benefited from staff who showed great kindness and compassion, which was promoted by the caring culture that had developed in the service. Without exception everyone described a 'family' feel to the service which had developed as a result of an approach that valued and respected everyone.

People received person-centred care that concentrated on what mattered most to them. Staff went to exceptional lengths to ensure people led full and meaningful lives that respected and valued them as unique individuals. Staff had developed positive relationships with people and relatives.

People enjoyed a wide range of activities that took account of their individual histories, interests and wishes. People had been supported to develop relationships with community groups which clearly enhanced their lives and well-being. Community groups were made welcome and their interactions with everyone at Acacia Lodge clearly had a profound effect on people and the groups involved.

People, staff and health and social care professionals spoke highly of the registered manager. The registered manager promoted an open and transparent culture that encouraged feedback about the service. Feedback was used to improve the service and enhance people's lives. The provider had effective systems in place to monitor and improve the service.

People were protected from the risk of harm and abuse by systems that assessed and managed risks. Staff understood their responsibilities to identify and report concerns where they felt people were at risk of harm or abuse. Medicines were safely managed and people were supported to understand the benefits of taking their prescribed medicines. Safe infection control practices were in place and equipment was well maintained. Accidents and incidents were reviewed and investigated by the registered manager.

There were sufficient staff to meet people's needs and staff had time to spend with people. Staff responded promptly to people's requests and were quick to support people if they experienced anxiety. Staff were well supported by the management team and had regular one to one meetings with their manager. Staff felt valued and listened to and had access to a wide range of development opportunities. There were effective systems in place to ensure staff had the skills and knowledge to meet people's needs.

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

People enjoyed a varied and nutritious menu, which ensured individual dietary needs were met. Where people were at risk of weight loss there were systems in place to ensure dietary intake and weight were monitored. People were supported to access appropriate he

We carried out our inspection on 16 December 2015. This was an unannounced inspection.

The service had a registered manager who was responsible for overall management of the home. 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 and associated regulations about how the service is run.

Acacia Lodge is a care home providing accommodation for people requiring personal and nursing care. The service supports older people with a variety of conditions which includes people living with dementia. At the time of our visit there were 53 people living in the service.

People enjoyed living at Acacia Lodge. People and their relatives were complimentary about the registered manager and staff supporting them. There was a cheerful atmosphere throughout the home and we saw many kind and caring interactions. People spent their day as they chose and were able to take part in activities both within the home and in the community.

There were sufficient staff to meet people’s needs. Staff were knowledgeable about the needs of people living in the home and were well supported through regular one to one meetings with the registered manager. Staff had access to training to ensure they had the skills and knowledge to meet people’s needs.

People were positive about the food they received and people were supported to eat and drink where needed.

Medicines were not always stored and administered safely. Where risks were identified care plans were in place to ensure risks were managed.

Care plans were personalised and reflected people’s needs. Care plan documents in people’s rooms were not always reviewed in line with the electronic care plan system.

There were effective systems in place to monitor the quality of the service, which included regular audits and quality assurance surveys.