About the service: Beechside is a residential care home that was providing personal care to 36 people during our inspection. Some of the people required support as they were living with dementia. The home is purpose built with single bedrooms and several shared communal spaces.

People’s experience of using this service:

Beechside is a family run service that promoted the ethos of providing a homely environment for people to live in. People liked living there and felt safe and cared about. One person commented, “I am happy here” Relatives told us they felt confident and happy in the care their relatives received. There was a relaxed, friendly and caring atmosphere throughout the inspection. People responded well to staff interactions and felt confident to stop and have a chat with all staff.

People were protected from abuse and the risk of harm. Staff understood their responsibilities for keeping people safe and reporting any concerns that arose. Risks for individuals were identified and action taken to minimise them. People got their medication on time and as prescribed.

Robust recruitment practices were followed to check staff were suitable to work with vulnerable people. Staff understood their roles and responsibilities and had received training to help them support people safely and well. There was enough staff available to provide the support people needed.

People received the support and care they needed from staff. Staff were responsive to people’s changing needs and worked well with other professionals to support people.

Staff understood and respected people’s right to make decisions. Where people had their liberty legally restricted staff took steps to minimise the impact this had on the person. Staff were respectful when supporting people and skilled at changing their approach in accordance with people’s individual choices and communication styles.

The registered manager is also one of the providers of the service. The providers promoted a family atmosphere at Beechside. They were liked and trusted by people living there relatives and staff. Everyone told us that the providers were approachable and took any concerns or queries seriously. They spent time assessing the needs of the service and had a continual improvement plan in place that they were actively implementing.

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Rating at last inspection: Good – 28 July 2016

Why we inspected: This was a planned inspection based on the rating at the last inspection.

Follow up: We will continue to monitor intelligence we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If any concerning information is received we may inspect sooner.

For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk

This inspection was carried out on 26 May and 01 June 2016. The first day of the inspection was unannounced.

Beechside Residential Care Home is registered to provide accommodation and support for up to 37 people. At the time of our inspection 36 people were living there.

The home had a registered manager. 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.

During the inspection we met a number of the people living at Beechside and spoke with seven of them and four of their relatives. We also looked around the premises and spoke with six members of staff. The registered manager is also one of the providers of the service. We spoke with both providers of the service.

We examined a variety of records relating to people living at the home and the staff team. We also looked at systems for checking the quality and safety of the service.

People told us that they felt safe living at Beechside and their visitors said they thought it was a safe place for people to live. Policies and training were in place to help staff identify and deal with potential safeguarding issues that may arise. Everyone we spoke with said they would feel confident to raise any concerns or complaints they had with the providers.

Systems were in place for ensuring medication was managed well and people received their medication as prescribed.

Staff knew people’s support needs well and provided the support people needed in a timely manner. People had received the support they needed with their health and personal care.

Staff were aware of the actions they should take in the event of an emergency occurring.

There were sufficient staff working at Beechside to meet people’s support needs. People liked and trusted the staff team. Suitable systems were in place for recruiting, training and supporting staff, this helped to ensure they were suitable to work with people who may be vulnerable.

Staff knew people well and spent time communicating with people in a way they understood and talking with people as well as meeting their support needs. A variety of activities took place at the home that people enjoyed participating in.

People living in the home, their relatives and staff had confidence in the registered manager and provider. They said they were always approachable, listened and nothing was ever ‘too much trouble’ for them.

Systems were in place for checking the quality of the service and planning future improvements. This had included obtaining the views of people living at the home, their relatives, stakeholders and staff.

At the time of our visit there was no-one using the Domiciliary Care Agency (DCA) registered at the location under the activity personal care. Therefore the content of this report is based only on our findings in relation to the activity accommodation for persons who require nursing or personal care.

People who used the service and their relatives were given information about the home and were invited to look around before deciding it was the right place for them to live. People were involved in their initial assessment and in planning and reviewing their care.

People received appropriate care and treatment with their health and wellbeing, including input from external health and social care professionals. Staff had received training to help them deal with emergencies and they were confident about what they would do in an emergency situation.

People's nutrition and hydration needs were well recorded and understood by staff. People told us the food served at the home was tasty and that they always had plenty to eat and drink.

People had all the equipment they needed to help with their comfort, mobility and independence and equipment had been regularly checked to make sure it was suitable for their needs and safe to use.

People told us that they had no concerns about the staffing levels. They said staff had been efficient in attending to their needs and were always about when they needed them. Staff told us they never felt rushed or under pressure.

The Domiciliary care agency (DCA), which trades under the name of Homebird is registered for the activity personal care and operates from the location Beechside Residential Care Home. There are currently no people using the DCA therefore the content of this report is based only on our findings in relation to the activity accommodation for persons who require nursing or personal care, at the location Beechside Residential Care Home.

We spoke with seven people living at Beechside Residential Care Home who gave positive comments about the care and treatment that they had received. People told us that they were treated with respect and their privacy and dignity had been maintained when receiving personal care. Comments included: "All the staff are lovely", “They knock on my door and are polite”, “They are very respectful, kind and caring.”

People told us that they enjoyed the varied activities that were provided. One person said they play bingo and have sing a longs.

People told us they knew how to complain and would do if they were unhappy about any aspect of their care and support.

People said they felt safe using the service and would tell someone if they had been mistreated.

People told us they were happy with the care and treatment they had received at the home.

They said they had been consulted about their care plans and had agreed to them.

People using the service told us the care they have received at Beechside has been, "Very good” and they have been “Well looked after”. They told us they knew all the staff as many of them had been there for a long time. People told us that staff have always been very respectful towards them and they have always knocked on their bedroom door before entering.

People told us that they have made choices about how they have spent their time, when they have got up and gone to bed, what they have eaten and their own personal routine. People were observed to spend time in the main lounges, in their own rooms and in the dinning room.

People said there used to be family and residents meetings held to discuss the service, however these have not happened for sometime and they would like to see these meetings reinstated in the home.

People said staff were “Very kind and understanding” and that they felt safe living at Beechside. People living at the home said, they could speak to the staff and the manager if they had any concerns and that they “Never want for anything”. People living in the home appeared relaxed and comfortable in their surroundings.

People told us that they felt safe living at Beechside, the also told us that they are treated well by staff. People told us they would tell the manager or another person in charge if they were badly treated. One person said, “I would tell if I saw anyone being hurt or shouted at”.

People told us that they have always received their medication on time.

People told us that the manager has approached them regularly and asked for their opinion about how the home has run and the care they have received.