This inspection was unannounced and took place on 16 February 2017 and 20 February 2016

This is the first inspection of this established service since its re-registration as a new legal entity on 15 December 2015 There is a registered manager in post. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. 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 registered manager was supported on a continuous basis by the provider who made regular contributions to the running of the home.

The service provides care and support for people for up to 19 people in a traditional house in a rural setting at the edge of the village of Alcombe. In the past year the home environment had been improved by the addition of new windows and work on some of the bedrooms.

People told us they felt safe at the home and with the staff who supported them. They told us they could talk to any of the staff. People said they felt safe and were looked after “very well.” They said they liked the fact that there was always someone there who would do whatever they could to help.

People were supported by sufficient numbers of staff to meet their needs. They said staff usually came to help them quickly unless they were busy helping other people. One person said “I rarely need to use the bell at night but one night I did not feel good. They came straight away and helped me through the night.”

People said the food was good. They commented on the home cooked meals and the variety of vegetables. Most people chose to eat their meals in the dining room. Lunch time was a pleasant sociable occasion. People enjoyed the food and the conversation, and interaction with each other and the staff. Some people chose not to eat in the dining room and this was respected.

The manager and staff were very pro-active in arranging for people to see health care professionals according to their individual needs. Staff noted changes in people’s health and requested GP visits when required.

People were supported by kind and caring staff. Some people had lived in the home for several years. One person said “Staff are always kind and polite. There is no trouble there at all.” People received care that was responsive to their needs and personalised to their wishes and preferences. People were able to make choices about all aspects of their day to day lives.

There were formal and informal quality assurance systems in place to monitor care and plan on-going improvements. There were audits and checks in place to monitor safety and quality of care.