Court Regis is a service providing accommodation and care to up to 54 older people. The service is set over one floor and encircles a courtyard garden. There were 42 people at the service at the time of the inspection.

At the last inspection in July 2015 the service was rated Good. At this inspection we found the service remained Good.

Staff understood their role in keeping people safe and their responsibilities in reporting any concerns. The registered manager had reported any concerns to the local authority when required. Risks to people and the environment were identified and plans had been put in place to give staff the guidance required to minimise risks. People’s medicines were managed safely and in the way they preferred.

There were enough staff to meet people’s needs and they were recruited safely. Staff had the training and support they needed to fulfil their role. They told us the registered manager and the provider’s senior management were accessible and open to new ideas. There was a complaints procedure in place. People, staff and relatives told us they knew who to speak to if they had any concerns and they were confident they would be addressed.

People are supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff support them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service support this practice. Staff treated people with dignity and respect. People’s privacy was protected and promoted by all staff. People could have visitors whenever they liked and were supported to maintain relationships with family and friends. There were dedicated activity staff and they offered a wide variety of activities, in and out of the service and often linking with the local community.

People were supported to have food they enjoyed, which supported them to stay healthy. If people did not like what was on the menu the cook would prepare any alternative they chose. When people were unwell they were supported to access healthcare professionals quickly. When people were living with ongoing health conditions they were supported to understand any decisions related to their care.

People were involved in planning their care. Their care plans gave staff information about their life story and what was important to them. Care plans detailed what people could do for themselves and the best way to encourage them. Staff knew people well and supported them in line with their care plans and preferences.

The registered manager told us they were well supported by their manager. They met regularly with the managers of the providers other services to share learning. The registered manager also attended other local forums to keep up to date with good practice. Audits relating to the quality of the service were completed by the registered manager and senior managers. Where shortfalls were identified these had been addressed. People, staff and relatives were asked their views on the service through surveys and meetings.

The inspection was carried out on 28 July 2015 and was unannounced.

The service provided accommodation and personal care for older people some of whom were living with dementia. The accommodation was provided in a single story building. There were 43 people living in the service when we inspected.

There was a registered manager employed at the service. 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 Care Quality Commission (CQC) monitors the operation of the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) which applies to care services. Restrictions imposed on people were only considered after their ability to make individual decisions had been assessed as required under the Mental Capacity Act (2005) Code of Practice. The registered manager understood when an application should be made. Decisions people made about their care or medical treatment were dealt with lawfully and fully recorded.

People felt safe and staff understood their responsibilities to protect people living with dementia and degenerative illnesses. Staff had received training about protecting people from abuse. The management team had access to and understood the safeguarding policies of the local authority and followed the safeguarding processes.

The registered manager and care staff used their experience and knowledge of people’s needs to assess how they planned people’s care to maintain their safety, health and wellbeing. Risks were assessed and management plans implemented by staff to protect people from harm.

There were policies and a procedure in place for the safe administration of medicines. Staff followed these policies and had been trained to administer medicines safely.

People had access to GPs and their health and wellbeing was supported by prompt referrals and access to medical care if they became unwell.

People and their relatives described a service that was welcoming and friendly. Staff provided friendly compassionate care and support. People were encouraged to get involved in how their care was planned and delivered.

Staff upheld people’s right to choose who was involved in their care and people’s right to do things for themselves was respected.

The registered manager involved people in planning their care by assessing their needs when they first moved in and then by asking people if they were happy with the care they received. Staff knew people well and people had been asked about who they were and about their life experiences. This helped staff deliver care to people as individuals.

Incidents and accidents were recorded and checked by the registered manager to see what steps could be taken to prevent these happening again. The risk in the service was assessed and the steps to be taken to minimise them were understood by staff.

Managers ensured that they had planned for foreseeable emergencies, so that should they happen people’s care needs would continue to be met. The premises and equipment in the service were well maintained.

Recruitment policies were in place. Safe recruitment practices had been followed before staff started working at the service. The registered manager ensured that they employed enough staff to meet people’s assessed needs. Staffing levels were kept under constant review as people’s needs changed.

Staff understood the challenges people faced and supported people to maintain their health by ensuring people had enough to eat and drink.

If people complained they were listened to and the registered manager made changes or suggested solutions that people were happy with. The actions taken were fed back to people.

People felt that the service was well led. They told us that managers were approachable and listened to their views. The registered manager of the service and other senior managers provided good leadership. The provider and registered manager developed business plans to improve the service. This was reflected in the positive feedback given about staff by the people who experienced care from them.

People told us they were happy living in this home and were satisfied with all aspects of the service. They said, “It's lovely here.” “I love it here.” "Couldn't be better".

People were asked for their consent before care was given.

People received care and support that was well planned and sensitively delivered.

People received the medicines they needed when they needed them.

Robust recruitment procedures meant that people were supported by suitable staff.

Effective quality assurance procedures ensured that people were provided with a good service.

Overall we found that this service was safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led and had achieved compliance with all the standards we inspected. We have made some comments that the provider may find it useful to note to make sure that the home continues to provide a good service.

When we visited we spoke with three relatives, and four people who lived in the home and observed how staff interacted with people. We spoke with a senior manager of the organisation, the manager, five care staff and the chef.

People we spoke with all told us that they felt comfortable in the home and well looked after. They said "They make time for the whole lot of us" and "They are so good and always there for you".

Relatives we spoke with said that they were happy with the care provided. They told us "They know how to treat people" and "They always keep me informed of any changes".

We saw that there was a range of activities and pastimes available for people to take part in and this included going out in the community and taking part in activities in the home. One relative told us "Everybody is encouraged to do things and is included".

We saw that people were provided with a range and choice of nutritious meals and that snacks and drinks were available when people wanted them.

We observed that staff read and understood care plans which meant that they knew what care and support to provide to people.

People were supported to make their own choices, but care plans were not always clear about how to support people with some decision making.

We found that there were systems in place to monitor the quality of service and ensure that it met the needs of the people living in the home.