We inspected Avondale Castlemount Lodge on 18 January 2018 and the inspection was unannounced.

Avondale Castlemount Lodge is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as single package under one contractual agreement. The Care Quality Commission (CQC) regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

Avondale Castlemount Lodge is a large detached house in a residential area of Dover. The service provides accommodation, care and support to up to nine people with mental health needs. At the time of the inspection there were seven people living at the service.

This was the first inspection of Avondale Castlemount Lodge.

A registered manager worked at the service each day. A registered manager is a person who has registered with 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.

People told us they felt safe living at the service and that there were enough staff to give them the support they needed, when they needed it. People were protected from the risks of abuse, discrimination and avoidable harm by staff who were trained and knowledgeable. Staff knew how to report any concerns regarding people’s safety and were confident that the registered manager would act quickly on any concerns raised. Accidents and incidents were recorded and analysed to identify any patterns. When a pattern was identified action was taken to refer people to other health professionals. Such as the mental health team, when needed. People had their medicines safely and on time.

People were supported by sufficient numbers of staff who had been recruited safely. Staff were mentored and coached and completed regular training to keep up to date with best practice. The registered manager and staff also used guidance from expert professional organisations to keep up to date.

The building and grounds were clean and maintained to make sure they were safe and comfortable for people. People were involved in making decisions about the décor in the service and had personalised their own rooms. There was plenty of space for people to spend time with their loved ones when they visited.

People were encouraged and supported to cook their own meals and plan their menus. They had access to health care professionals and staff provided support to make sure their day to day health and well-being needs were met. 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’s physical, mental, emotional and cultural needs were assessed and reviewed.

Staff supported people to move into and out of the service, working with external agencies to ensure that any move was well co-ordinated.

People were supported and empowered by staff who were kind, compassionate and caring. People and staff had built strong, mutually respectful relationships and valued each other’s views and opinions. People’s privacy and dignity were respected and promoted.

People were actively involved in writing their care and support plans, setting goals and working on their recovery. People’s choices for their end of life care were discussed and recorded to make sure staff could follow their wishes. Staff supported people to follow their interests and ensured people were not socially isolated. People told us they would speak to the registered manager or staff if they had a complaint or if they were worried about anything and felt comfortable and confident to do so.

People and staff told us the service was well-led and the registered manager was a supportive leader. People felt they received the right amount of support f