A comprehensive inspection took place on 17 and 19 July 2018 and was unannounced. This was the first inspection of this location following a change in its registration in December 2017. Colton Lodges Care Home 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.

Colton Lodges Care Home, known to people, their relatives and staff as Colton Lodges. Colton Lodges is a purpose built home comprising of four units Newsam, Whitkirk, Elmet and Garforth. It provides care for up to 138 people across the four units. There are well appointed communal areas and communal bath and shower rooms located in each unit. On both days of our inspection there were 119 people living at Colton Lodges. Newsam provided care and support for people living with Dementia, Whitkirk and Elmet provided care and support for people requiring nursing needs and Garforth was the residential unit.

At the time of the inspection, the home had a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC). 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.

There were not always sufficient numbers of staff on duty to ensure people’s needs were met. Staff had received training and supervision to ensure people received effective care, although, the providers supervision process was not consistently implemented across all the units. Recruitment processes were robust and staff completed an induction when they started work.

People and visitors told us they and their family member felt safe at the home. We found there were appropriate systems in place to protect people from risk of harm and individual risks had been assessed. Maintenance checks were carried out in the home to ensure it was safe. Safe systems were in place to manage medicines so people received their medicines as prescribed.

We found the home was well maintained, clean and tidy, although, some comments from people and visitors we spoke with said the home was looking a little ‘tired’. People’s bedrooms had been personalised and communal areas were comfortable and homely. The decor was dementia friendly with pictures and signage which helped support people living with dementia to navigate their way around the home.

Records showed people had regular access to healthcare professionals to help meet their wider healthcare needs. People’s nutritional needs were met and menus we saw offered variety and choice.

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 and visitors, we spoke with were happy with the care provided and we saw people looked well care for and there was friendly ‘banter’ between people and staff. We saw staff respected people’s privacy and dignity. The registered manager explained they provided a person-centred approach to end of life care.

Care plans contained sufficient person-centred information to guide staff in how to support the person. People and visitors told us they were involved with the development of the care plan. Staff had a good knowledge and understanding of people’s needs and worked together as a team.

People enjoyed the activities available although, some people told us they would benefit from more variety and trips outs.

The registered manager told us they made improvements when things went wrong. Complaints were investigated and responded to appropriately.

People and their relatives had opportunities to comment on the quality of service and influenc