This inspection took place on 19 September 2018 and was unannounced. At the last inspection completed on 13 July 2017 we rated the service Requires Improvement.

At this inspection we found improvements had been made and the service was now rated as Good overall.

Eversley Rest 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.

Eversley Rest Home accommodates up to 28 people in one adapted building. At the time of the inspection there were 25 people using the service.

There was a registered manager in post at the time of our inspection. 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.

Governance systems were not always effective in identifying concerns and driving improvements whilst some improvements had been made, following our last inspection, more were needed.

People received their medicines as prescribed. Risks to people were managed safely and documentation about people’s care was consistently completed, including when people had an accident. People were protected from the risk of cross infection and safeguarded from abuse. The provider learned when things went wrong. There were sufficient staff available to meet people’s needs and staff were safely recruited.

Staff had received training; and felt supported in their role. The environment was suitable for people’s needs and they received consistent care from staff. People were supported to meet their dietary needs. People were supported to maintain their health and well-being.

People had choice and control of their lives and staff were aware of how to support them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service were supportive of this practice.

People received support from staff that were caring. People’s communication needs were planned for. People were respected and their privacy was protected. People received dignified care and support.

People’s preferences were clearly documented and staff understood these. People’s end of life wishes were documented. People were clear about how to make a complaint and these were responded to.

Notifications were submitted as required and the registered manager understood their responsibilities. We people and their relatives were engaged in the service.

This inspection took place on the 13 July 2017. This was an unannounced inspection. Our last comprehensive unannounced inspection took place on 29 October 2015 and the provider was meeting all the regulations that we checked relating to the Health and Social Care Act 2008.

Eversley Rest Home provides accommodation and personal care for up to 28 people who may be living with dementia. There were 23 people living at the home on the day of our inspection.

The service had a registered manager in post. 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.

At this inspection, we identified that some improvements were needed; audits were undertaken and areas for improvement identified but timely action was not always taken to address these areas. For example, people’s safety was not fully maintained as substances that were classed as hazardous to health were not always kept securely. Records regarding the management of medicines did not always demonstrate that people received their medicine as prescribed. Since the inspection the provider has taken action to address these areas.

We identified that the staffing levels in place did not always ensure people’s needs were met in a timely way. Since the inspection the provider has confirmed they have increased the staffing levels.

Although people’s care needs were met, improvements were needed to ensure care plans accurately reflected people’s current needs. This had been identified by the provider and registered manager and actions were in progress to address this.

People felt safe with the staff and staff understood their role in reporting any concerns. Checks on staff were undertaken to ensure they were safe to support people. People’s verbal consent was sought by staff before supporting them and people were supported to make their own decisions when possible. Where people were unable to make decisions independently they were supported in their best interests and in accordance with the Mental Capacity Act. People received food and drink that met their nutritional needs and preferences, and were referred to healthcare professionals when needed to maintain their health and wellbeing.

People’s needs and preferences were understood by the staff that supported them and staff were caring towards them. People were supported to maintain their dignity and privacy and relationships that were important to them. People knew who the provider was and how to complain. When complaints were made these were responded to in line with the provider’s policy. The provider and registered manager sought people’s opinions to enable improvements to be made in accordance with their wishes.

We inspected this service on 29 October 2015. The inspection was unannounced. The home had recently been purchased by a new provider. This was the first inspection since their registration in June 2015. Eversley Rest Home provides accommodation and personal care for up to 22 people; within this number were two beds that were used for people discharged from hospital for rehabilitation. There were 20 people living at the home on the day of our inspection and one person staying at the home for rehabilitation.

There was a registered manager in post. 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 provider determined the staffing levels on an assessment of people’s needs. People told us and we saw there were sufficient staff available to support them. Staff had knowledge about people’s care and support needs to enable support to be provided in a safe way. Staff understood what constituted abuse or poor practice and systems and processes were in place to protect people from the risk of harm. Systems were in place and followed so that medicines were managed safely and people were given their medicine as and when needed. The provider had undertaken thorough recruitment checks to ensure the staff employed were suitable to support people.

Staff received training to meet the needs of people living in the home. Staff received supervision, to support and develop their skills. The manager understood their responsibility to comply with the requirements of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS). Where people lacked capacity in certain areas, capacity assessments had been completed to show how people were supported to make those decisions. People received food and drink that met their nutritional needs and were referred to healthcare professionals to maintain their health and wellbeing.

Staff were caring in their approach and had a good understanding of people’s likes, dislikes and preferences. People felt confident that they could raise any concerns with the manager. People were supported to maintain and develop their social interests. There were processes in place for people to express their views and opinions about the home. There were systems in place to monitor the quality of the service to enable the manager and provider to drive improvement.