We carried out this unannounced inspection on 20 December 2017

There was a registered manager in place. 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.

We previously inspected Crofton Lodge on 11 April 2017 and rated the home as requires improvement. We found a breach Regulation 12 Health and Social Care Act Regulated Activities Regulations 2014 Safe care and treatment. The management of medicines was not always safe as records and auditing had not been effective and temperature checks of medicines storage did not consistently take place.

At this inspection we found improvements had been made and the provider was no longer in breach of the HSCA.

People were safeguarded from potential harm and abuse. Staff undertook safeguarding training and any issues raised were fully investigated. The service was homely and maintained to make sure it remained a safe and pleasant place for people to live.

Care and treatment was planned and delivered to maintain people’s health and safety. During the inspection people's needs were met by sufficient numbers of staff.

Safe arrangements were in place to reduce the possibility of infection in the service.

The provider had learned lessons from previous inspections, accidents and incidents and use this to drive improvement.

Documentation was created in a format suitable to support people to make decisions.

The registered manager and staff had created a culture of promoting independence.

Recruitment processes remained robust. Medicines were administered by staff who had received training to undertake this safely.

Staff were provided with training to help them care for people effectively. They received supervision and appraisal, which helped to develop the staff's skills.

People’s dietary needs were known and if staff had concerns people were referred to relevant health care professionals to help to maintain their well-being.

People’s rights were protected in line with the Mental Capacity Act (MCA) 2005 and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS). The registered manager understood their responsibilities regarding this.

Staff supported people with kindness, dignity and respect. People were supported to undertake a range of activities at the service and in the community.

People received the care and support they required and their needs were kept under review.

People were asked for their views about the service and feedback received was acted upon. The registered manager, staff and senior management team undertook checks and audits of the service.

The inspection took place on the 11 April 2017 and was unannounced.

Crofton Lodge provides care and accommodation for up to 10 people who are living with a learning disability or mental health condition. On the day of the inspection nine people were living in the home.

The service did not have a registered manager at the time of our inspection. The previous registered manager had cancelled their registration in February 2017. A person was employed to manage the service on a day to day basis and they had plans to make an application to become the 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 management of medicines was not always safe. Records and auditing procedures had not been effective and temperature checks of medicines storage did not consistently take place.

People told us they felt safe at the home and staff had a good understanding of their roles and responsibilities in protecting people from abuse. They knew what to look for and the action to take if they were concerned.

Staff were aware of risks associated with people’s care and knew the action to take if the risks presented. Staffing levels were sufficient to support people safely and in a calm, professional manner. Recruitment processes were in place to make sure only workers who were suitable to work in a care setting were employed. Staff received training and supervision to make sure they had the skills and knowledge to support people.

People were supported to be independent and valued members of the community. They were supported to make informed decisions and choices. They had access to health professionals when they needed it and enjoyed their meals. They were supported by staff who knew them well, were kind, caring and proactive in their support approaches.

Support plans provided guidance to staff and people were involved in the development of these. The manager was aware that these required updating and was working through these at the time of the inspection.

Systems and processes were in place to monitor and assess the service, and to drive improvement. A plan was in place to address maintenance concerns as the home was not always well maintained. However at times action plans lacked clear direction and timescales. We have made a recommendation about this. People and staff spoke positively about the manager who was described as approachable and supportive.

We found a breach of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014. You can see what action we told the provider to take at the end of the report.