This inspection took place on 2 August 2016 and was unannounced.

Branthwaite Care Home is located in the market town of Retford in Nottinghamshire. The home is registered to provide accommodation for up to 40 people who require nursing or personal care. The care provided has a focus on supporting people who have needs that are associated with memory loss and dementia. At the time of inspection 40 people were using the service, meaning that the home was full.

The service 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.

The staff understood their role in keeping people safe. People who used the service and those supporting them knew who to report any concerns to if they felt they or others had been the victim of abuse. Risks were assessed and any accidents and incidents were investigated so that steps could be put in place to avoid reoccurrence. There were enough staff with the right skills and experience to meet people’s care needs. Medicines were stored, administered and handled safely and people received their medicines as prescribed.

People were supported by staff who had received the training and supervision they needed to support people effectively.

People had consented to the care that they received. The registered manager applied the principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) and Deprivations of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS), so that people’s rights were protected.

People had sufficient to eat and drink and were able to choose what they ate. When needed, people’s food and fluid intake was monitored so they could be assured that they had enough to eat and drink.

People’s healthcare needs had been assessed and were regularly monitored. The service worked well with visiting healthcare professionals to ensure they provided effective care and support.

People were supported by staff who were caring and treated them with kindness, respect and dignity. People were encouraged to be independent and had access to independent advocacy services. There were no restrictions on friends and relatives visiting.

Staff were responsive to people’s needs. People were supported to participate in activities People and their relatives were involved with the planning of the care and support provided. Care plans were written in a way that focused on people’s choices and preferences. Regular monitoring of people’s assessed needs was conducted to ensure staff responded appropriately.

A complaints procedure was in place and people felt comfortable in making a complaint if needed.

There was a positive atmosphere within the home and people’s views were considered when making decisions to improve the service. People spoke highly of the registered manager Processes were in place to check on the quality of the service and the registered manager had clear processes in place to continually improve the quality of the service that people received. The service had recently won awards acknowledging this.

During our inspection there were thirty seven people using the service. We spoke with three people who used the service and with two relatives. We also spoke with six staff that had various roles and responsibilities. A member of staff we spoke with said, “I love working here, I love my job. When the residents are smiling it makes me happy.”

We found that people were receiving care and support that met their needs and protected their health and safety.

We found that the home was well led and had systems in place to ensure there was always enough staff available with the right skills to provide a consistent and effective service.

We found that the staff team were caring and responsive to the needs of people who used the service. A person who used the service commented, “The staff are lovely and doing a fantastic job.”

During our visit we observed how people were supported with their care and looked at records. These included care plans and information about how the service operated.

We spoke with eight people who lived at the home, two relatives who visited during our inspection, and a local community nurse who had visited to provide support for one person who lived at the home. We also spoke with five staff members, the registered manager and the home owner.

People told us they had enough information to tell them about what the home provided when they moved in. They also said they could express themselves in the way they wished and were encouraged to make their own choices.

We spoke with two people in the homes activity room. The person told us, "There is always something to do if you want it. From crafts and games to outings in the homes own mini bus."

People also said they felt safe living at the home. They told us they were confident that staff had the right skills and experience for the job and that they were honest and trustworthy. A relative of one person we spoke with said, “They go the extra mile to make sure people are safe and with the care given.”

We found that people felt confident taking any suggestions or concerns to staff, the manager and also the home owner. People said they liked the fact that the home owner was regularly available to talk to them. One person told us, "I wouldn’t wait to shout up if I was unhappy but I am not."